Tinubu’s Government Turning Nigerians Into Beggars, Says Afe Babalola

Afe Babalola, a prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria and founder of Afe Babalola University, has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing it of worsening poverty in Nigeria and reducing citizens to a state of dependency. His comments come amid increasing public dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of economic challenges.

Speaking during a visit to the Prestige Sisters League, Babalola condemned the administration’s approach to alleviating economic hardship, particularly its palliative measures. He argued that distributing basic food items such as garri, beans, and rice as temporary relief is insufficient and detrimental.

“It is wrong for the government to be sharing garri, beans, and rice as palliatives. They are turning the people into beggars,” Babalola stated emphatically. He criticized the government’s strategy, suggesting that such measures only deepen the nation’s economic struggles.

Babalola also expressed concern that the government’s policies discourage productive work and economic self-sufficiency. He believes that rather than providing temporary relief, the government should focus on creating job opportunities and fostering an environment that supports self-reliance.

“The government is discouraging people from working,” Babalola remarked. “The government must provide an enabling environment for people to work and feed themselves.” He attributed the rising levels of hunger to the administration’s failure to ensure security and support for agricultural activities.

Babalola further emphasized that the government’s failure to secure rural areas and support farming communities has led to widespread hunger. “The duty of the government is the welfare of the people. The problem we have now is that people cannot move freely. They have abandoned the farms. People are being killed on their farms, and everybody wants to stay where they are safe. It is because the government has failed in this regard that we have hunger,” he said.

His remarks reflect broader discontent seen in nationwide protests in August, where Nigerians expressed frustration over economic difficulties and escalating food prices under Tinubu’s administration. Babalola echoed the sentiment of the demonstrators, urging the government to heed their concerns.

“The protest was genuine, and the government should listen to them (demonstrators),” Babalola concluded, calling for a reassessment of the administration’s policies to address the pressing issues facing the country.

This critique highlights a growing debate about the effectiveness of current economic policies and their impact on ordinary Nigerians.