Honestly, Mr President, I know that you may not be pleased with me after reading this petition. You may also not be pleased with yourself for appointing Zacch Adedeji as Nigeria’s agbowo ode—the nation’s chief revenue collector. Nevertheless, under the new operational framework of the Nigeria Revenue Service, I consider it a solemn patriotic duty to place this matter before Your Excellency.
However, since I am also a traditionalist, I swear by Ifá Agbonmiregun that everything you are about to read here is the truth, the absolute truth and nothing but the whole truth. I equally call upon Ogun, whom I cherish, to sit in judgement over me should there be anything resembling a lie, fabrication or deliberate misrepresentation in all the allegations contained in this petition.
I am conscious that many of my fellow Yoruba men and women may not be happy with me. Some may accuse me of turning against one of our own. Others may wonder why I have chosen to wash what they consider a family garment in the public square. But when the national interest is at stake, ethnic sentiment must surrender to patriotism. When an issue concerns the economic stability, welfare and future of Nigeria, we must be courageous enough to speak bluntly, clinically and with complete detachment. Public interest must never be sacrificed on the altar of regional loyalty, personal friendship, political affiliation or professional fraternity.
I also know that many people in the South-West may be disappointed in me—particularly my good brother and friend, Dare Adekanmbi, one of the trusted aides of Dr Zacch Adedeji. Dare may be shocked that I have apparently broken an unwritten oath among those of us who passed through the great Nigerian Tribune tradition: that no Tribune graduate should publicly antagonise, embarrass or work against another. It is a noble understanding founded on loyalty, comradeship and our shared professional heritage.
However, Dare must bear with me. Laws, traditions and oaths are made for the advancement of humanity; humanity was not created to become permanently enslaved by them. Where such an understanding conflicts with a compelling national obligation, patriotism must take precedence. In any event, I owe Dare neither an apology nor an explanation for placing Nigeria above personal relationships.
Indeed, I believe that after reading this petition carefully, examining the evidence and suppressing his understandable emotions, even Dare Adekanmbi will reluctantly arrive at the same unavoidable conclusion: “His boss, Dr Zacch Adedeji, must be sacked with immediate effect!”
Yes, Mr President. He must be sacked—not tomorrow, not after another committee has been constituted, and certainly not after another round of consultations. He must be sacked immediately. The reasons are simply too compelling to be ignored.
Why Is Zacch Adedeji Still in the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?
I honestly do not understand why Your Excellency continues to retain a man like Dr Zacch Adedeji in such a sensitive national position. This relatively young man from Ogbomoso has refused to respect the long-established Nigerian culture of excuses, bureaucratic sluggishness, abandoned projects, endless committees and beautifully packaged underperformance.
What kind of public officer behaves like this? Mr President appointed him Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service on September 14, 2023, after he had served as Special Adviser to the President on Revenue, Oyo State Commissioner for Finance and Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council. Instead of settling comfortably into office, studying the furniture, changing the curtains, assembling an intimidating convoy and spending several months blaming his predecessor, the young man began talking about reforms, technology, transparency, institutional restructuring, staff development, revenue expansion and measurable results.
This is totally unacceptable! Does he not understand how government traditionally operates? A proper public official is expected to spend the first year studying the office, the second year explaining inherited problems, the third year inaugurating committees and the fourth year preparing a colourful valedictory speech. But Zacch Adedeji arrived and started working almost immediately—running towards responsibility like a faithful dog rushing to welcome its beloved owner returning home after a long absence. Mr President, such haste is deeply suspicious.
Is Zacch Adedeji Too Young to Be Breaking Historic Revenue Records?
This is one of the strongest grounds upon which I am demanding his removal. How can a relatively young Nigerian be permitted to make competence appear normal? Haba!
Under his leadership, the revenue authority announced a collection of ₦21.6 trillion in 2024, surpassing its target of ₦19.4 trillion. In 2025, the Nigeria Revenue Service reportedly collected ₦28.3 trillion, exceeding its target of ₦25.2 trillion. Worse still, the Presidency disclosed that the revenue authority had already met its 2025 budget target by the third quarter of the year.
Mr President, why should one man be permitted to embarrass the established culture of comfortable underachievement in this manner? Could he not have maintained the old figures so that everybody would remain relaxed? Why must he exceed targets? Why must he achieve in three quarters what was projected for an entire year? What exactly was he trying to do with the remaining quarter—collect even more money? This young man is clearly attempting to make other public officials look unserious. He must be stopped before performance becomes contagious!
How Zacch Adedeji Simplifies What Should Remain Complex
Mr President, another serious allegation against Dr Zacch Adedeji is that he appears determined to simplify Nigeria’s tax system. Why? Our tax administration survived for decades with overlapping regulations, multiple levies, conflicting authorities, frightening paperwork, incomprehensible procedures and endless movement from one government desk to another.
Everyone had become accustomed to the confusion. Then Zacch Adedeji appeared with dangerous expressions such as simplification, harmonisation, automation, taxpayer convenience, and institutional efficiency.
What exactly is he trying to achieve? Does he want taxpayers to understand what they are paying? Does he want businesses to comply with their tax obligations without being subjected to unnecessary frustration? Does he want citizens to retrieve their Tax Identification Numbers electronically rather than spending valuable hours carrying files from one government office to another?
The current revenue service platform allows individuals to retrieve their identification through their National Identification Numbers, while registered organisations can conduct searches using their Corporate Affairs Commission details. This man is gradually removing the traditional suffering associated with government services. Mr President, that alone is sufficient reason to sack him!
Transforming FIRS and Implementing the New Tax Reform Laws
Mr President, why did Zacch Adedeji participate so enthusiastically in the restructuring of Nigeria’s tax administration? The tax reform laws signed in 2025 transformed the former FIRS framework into the broader Nigeria Revenue Service while seeking to simplify taxation, harmonise procedures and reduce unnecessary duplication.
Instead of resisting the reforms and defending the old order, Adedeji publicly celebrated the process as a fundamental transformation of the country’s fiscal system. What kind of Nigerian public official welcomes reforms that could make his institution more efficient and accountable? He should have opposed every new idea. He should have warned that the proposals were premature. He should have demanded endless consultations. He should have quietly frustrated implementation while publicly declaring his total support. Instead, he embraced change. Mr President, this man is obviously unfamiliar with the traditional survival manual of the Nigerian bureaucracy. He must go!
Digital Transparency under the Leadership of Zacch Adedeji
This is perhaps his most serious offence. Dr Zacch Adedeji believes that technology, accurate data, digital identification, electronic invoicing and transparent processes should drive revenue administration.
He wants transactions to leave electronic footprints. He wants taxpayers to make payments without carrying physical files from one desk to another. He wants government agencies to exchange information. He wants revenue leakages to be blocked. He wants human interference reduced.
The Presidency has publicly commended his adoption of global best practices, automation of systems and investment in staff development. Mr President, does this young man not understand the danger of eliminating dark corners from revenue administration? Where will files disappear? Where will mysterious delays occur? Where will unofficial negotiations take place? How will confusion flourish when everything has been harmonised digitally? What will happen to those whose livelihoods depend on making simple government processes appear impossibly complicated? This is getting completely out of hand.
Addressing Port Delays and Private-Sector Mentality
As though reforming revenue administration were not enough, Zacch Adedeji became deeply involved in the Federal Government’s National Single Window initiative. The platform is intended to bring import and export documentation onto a coordinated electronic system, improve transparency, harmonise information and reduce delays in Nigeria’s trade processes. The Presidency has credited Adedeji with playing an instrumental role in the initiative and projected that it could reduce cargo-clearance time from about 21 days to approximately one week.
One week? Mr President, what will happen to our traditional port frustration? What will become of the endless documentation? What will happen to importers moving from one agency to another, pleading for signatures, stamps, approvals and mercy? What will become of those who benefit from delay, duplication and deliberate confusion? Zacch Adedeji is threatening an entire ecosystem of inefficiency. He must be sacked before Nigerian ports begin to function like ports in organised countries!
Before entering his present position, Adedeji had served as a senior member of Procter & Gamble’s management team, Commissioner for Finance in Oyo State, Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council and Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Revenue.
Unfortunately, he appears to have carried some dangerous private-sector habits into government. He believes in targets. He talks about measurable outcomes. He expects systems to work. He appears interested in institutional performance. He behaves as though public money must be properly assessed, collected and accounted for. He believes that appointments should be matched with responsibility.
Mr President, this is Nigeria—not a multinational corporation! Someone should remind him that public service has traditionally accommodated explanations more generously than results. Yet this “small boy” continues to behave as though every government institution must justify its existence. That mentality is dangerous.
Building Institutions and Setting High Expectations
While serving at the National Sugar Development Council, Adedeji was involved in developing the National Sugar Institute and in efforts to strengthen skills, research, and technical capacity within Nigeria’s sugar industry. The Presidency also credited him with establishing the institute.
Mr President, that is another serious offence. Government officials are supposed to announce institutions, inaugurate committees, unveil attractive logos, distribute commemorative brochures and perhaps launch colourful websites. Actually developing an institution and attempting to make it functional is taking public service too far. This man appears to believe that official declarations must be followed by concrete action. Such a dangerous mentality must not be allowed to spread.
The most dangerous thing about Zacch Adedeji is that his performance may persuade Nigerians that the Tinubu administration is capable of building effective institutions. Once citizens see that one revenue agency can be automated, they may begin to demand automation elsewhere. Once they discover that annual revenue targets can be surpassed, they may start asking uncomfortable questions about the performance of other agencies. Once taxpayers experience simplified procedures, they may demand efficiency from ministries, departments, states and local governments. Once Nigerians begin to expect measurable results, excuses will become increasingly difficult to sell.
Mr President, this is the real danger. Zacch Adedeji is not merely collecting revenue. He is raising public expectations.
Formal Charges Against the Revenue Chief
Therefore, Mr President, I respectfully petition Your Excellency to remove Dr Zacch Adedeji immediately for the following unforgivable offences:
- He is relatively young but frighteningly experienced.
- He is academically and professionally qualified but refuses to intimidate Nigerians with empty grammar.
- He understands figures and insists that figures must produce measurable results.
- He has embraced technology where others would have protected paperwork.
- He supported fundamental reforms rather than defending an outdated system.
- He has overseen the surpassing of major revenue targets without making noise proportional to the achievement.
- He is assisting efforts to reduce unnecessary delays at Nigerian ports.
- He appears determined to make Nigeria’s revenue system simpler, broader, more efficient and more transparent.
Above all, he is making competence look normal. Mr President, that is his greatest offence.
Final Submission to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
On second thought, Mr President, please do not sack him. My petition is hereby amended.
Nigeria needs more “small boys” like Zacch Adedeji—young men and women whose qualifications are solid, whose experience is relevant, whose thinking is modern and whose performance can be measured. We need more public officers who understand that leadership is not about occupying large offices, travelling in intimidating convoys or producing impressive speeches. Leadership is about making institutions work. It is about converting authority into responsibility. It is about using knowledge, technology and innovation to solve national problems. It is about accepting that public office is a sacred trust rather than a private reward.
Of course, Zacch Adedeji must not be placed beyond scrutiny. No public official should ever be above accountability. Revenue figures must remain transparent and independently verifiable. Tax enforcement must be fair. The rights of taxpayers must be protected. Small businesses must not be suffocated. And Nigerians must see tangible improvements in their lives from the trillions of naira being collected in their name.
But where a public official is working, reforming systems, strengthening institutions and producing measurable outcomes, fairness demands that we acknowledge him.
Therefore, Mr President, do not sack Dr Zacch Adedeji. Instead, strengthen his hands and provide him with even greater institutional support, modern tools and the freedom necessary to serve Nigeria more effectively. Give him the enabling environment to deepen the reforms already underway, expand the nation’s revenue base and generate even greater resources for the development of our country.
The more efficiently Nigeria collects and manages its lawful revenue, the better positioned the government will be to provide infrastructure, improve education and healthcare, create opportunities, support businesses and raise the living standards of our people.
God bless the day Dr Zacch Adedeji was appointed to this important national assignment. God bless him for his diligence, competence, sound judgment and uncommon commitment to service. And God bless you, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for recognising ability and putting a round peg firmly in a round hole.
Mr President, kindly disregard my earlier petition. Sack kò, sacker ni! Please, do not mind me, jare.
