Media Organization in Indianapolis, IN

It is unfortunate that Nigeria at 64, a country that was once referred to as the giant of Africa can descend so low to becoming not just a poverty capital of the world, but also a beggarly country. It is with dismay that Nigerians listened to their President in his media chat, when asked a question about the stampede in Nigeria, where 67 people lost their lives in a week, and with him answering with fixing blames on the organizers of the events of palliative sharing. He even went to the extent of calling for investigations, so that the case of negligence on the path of the organizers can be established. In an effort to justify his policies and disconnect them from the causes of the stampede, he boastfully and arrogantly said that he has been in the business of sharing palliative to people at his Lagos residence for more than 25 years. This part of the interview only exposes a President that lacks empathy and who is also insensitive to the plight of the citizens, as well as, disconnected from the reality on ground regarding the unprecedented hunger that has eaten deep into the fabrics of the lives of Nigerians.

Talking about negligence, there is no action that falls into the category which can be compared with the pronouncement made by Mr. President on May 29 2023, at his swearing-in ceremony, with regard to the removal of fuel subsidy without remedial provisions made to cushion the effect of such a spontaneous and not-well-thought of action. It is hard to recall any incident of stampede that ever took place in Nigeria during the tenure of the past leaders of the country, where 67 citizens, including children, lost their lives in one week. The incident can only be well connected to the unprecedented hunger and the unimaginable desperation of Nigerians to keep their souls and bodies together. This indeed is historical and a gloomy experience by Nigerians. It is difficult also to point at any African countries, where the citizens died in a stampede that is connected to hunger and poverty in the land. A perspective leader would not like to see what he experienced 25 years ago, where the citizens of the country would come out and beg for food in front of his house, to continue, especially when he himself is the President of the country. This is ridiculous and absurd, to say the least.

In the same vein, the Armed Forces of Nigeria did promote some of its members to different ranks of major general, rear admiral, and air vice marshal. Promotion ordinarily must have its justification in accomplishments of tasks, and so for those promoted in the Army, Navy and Airforce, at a time when the country is getting submerged by the flood of insecurity and banditry, leaves much to be desired and the action can only be described as a way of bribing the young officers, especially when one considers the statements that have always been on the lips of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, which is that of assuring and reassuring the President that the Nigerian Army is for democracy even if the system is without dividends and Nigerians have been plunged into the depths of hunger and poverty. It is not surprising therefore why the Military has the highest chunk from the 2025 budget to the tune of 14 trillion naira. Recall that the third accidental bombings by the Military occurred on Christmas day, where 10 villagers in Sokoto State lost their lives. These incidents do not in any way justify why officers should be promoted and why the military should have the largest chunk in the budget of the country.

In another development, one who is perspective, finds it difficult to wrap one’s head around the justification of the 27 billion naira, which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu referred to as the allowances for the past Presidents, Head of States, their Vice Presidents, and Chief of Staff, at this crucial moment of what fits in for description as a near-famine situation in the country. It is true that the scripture admonishes that the followers should pray for their leaders, but don’t forget that leadership also goes with responsibilities. How do you rate leaders who are living large and are encouraging their followers to exercise patience and sacrifice for their nation? The year 2024, with all its ups and downs, especially the unprecedented hunger that led to the untimely and avoidable death of 67 Nigerians including children, will go down in history as very turbulent, nonetheless, because we are admonished to give thanks to God in everything, we give thanks to the Almighty God, in the believe and hope that in 2025, the unbelievable, unimaginable and what only the hands of God can do, shall be the experience of Nigerians in their country.

Nigerians in diaspora need to wake up, cognizant of the fact that salvation can come from abroad, if those who should make it to come from above, that is the clergy and the clerics, are already complicit and are behaving in ways that are worse that those of the politicians. Reality has it that there is no minister of the gospel of Christ in Nigeria today who shepherds a church that can pray and receive answers with regard to the transformation of Nigeria, the reason being that they themselves are already serving God with mammon. The politics in the church these days is worse than what goes on in the society, otherwise, most of the pastors and bishops who have affiliations with ministers of God abroad, should have considered their ways and reflected on what have been their contributions to the progress and development of their country. They should realize that building of schools and churches, as good as they may be, are secondary and less important, when compared to the wellbeing of their flocks. Ministers of God such as Kenneth E. Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Oral Roberts, and T. L. Osborn, who are all Americans, are proud of their country and do not live in a country where people are beggars, including church members, who live on palliatives from the government, individuals and even churches. What obtains in Nigeria, especially in our churches, is an eyesore and a reflection of the level of degradation that the church of God has descended into. As a matter of fact, most of the politicians in Nigeria, are using the church template to operate, and it is so sad that most of our churches today are at a level that makes the word “Ichabod” to be an apt description of their deplorable conditions.

People get the history they deserve, but unfortunately the majority of Nigerians who are suffering today, do not deserve to be subjected to this magnitude of hunger and poverty. The media in Nigeria are trying their best. Don’t forget also that the journalists working for the media houses are also Nigerians, who have to survive. To this end, their best can only be seen in what they do, which is only scratching the surface. Truth has it that any media house that will go to the extent that Dele Farotimi went in his revelation, as contained in his book about how corrupt and deplorable the situation of the Nigerian judiciary is, will be visited by the government, and that is just the truth. The major pastors in Nigeria have shut their mouths, in order for them to keep the doors of their pockets and churches opened. Because poverty has been weaponized in Nigeria, and we have a leader who understands the game, and who can buy anything standing in his way, the reality is that the needed help has to come, if not from within, from without. We look forward to a glorious and change possibility 2025, and our hearts go to all those who have lost their loved ones in the year 2024, praying that God grants them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

On a final note, to those who are remanded in custody, especially the former Queen Naomi Silekunola,  Oriyomi Hamzat, owner of Agidigbo FM, and Fasasi Abdullahi Babatunde, the principal of the Islamic High School, where the unfortunate incident that left 35 children dead took place, take heart, even we beg the appropriate authorities of Government to temper justice with mercy, for if the President of the country can be so negligent by removing the fuel subsidy on day one, without necessary arrangement to cushion the effect of his action on Nigerians, how much less would the ordinary citizens be culpable in matters of negligence? It is time to fix the problems of hunger and poverty resulting from the policies of government and not to fix blames. Wishing you a prosperous New Year in advance. God bless Nigeria.

By Samuel Tunji Adeyanju

GMN Chief Executive Officer, USA