Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the former Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, has expressed deep concern over the escalating economic hardship in Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking at a Marian Concert in Abuja during the 2024 Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Onaiyekan urged the federal government to urgently review its policies, which he says are inmcreasing poverty nationwide.
The clergyman didn’t mince words in his assessment of the current economic situation, saying: “Everybody is now becoming poor.”
Onaiyekan lamented the severe economic conditions Nigerians are enduring. He pointed out that while those in power live in extravagance, ordinary citizens struggle with basic needs like fuel.
“You can’t tell someone to be patient with poverty while we see the people who are supposed to address our poverty, live flamboyantly,” Onaiyekan remarked stated.
He called for a leadership that understands the urgency of the people’s plight and takes measures to ease their suffering, warning that “there is a limit to what people can handle.”
The Cardinal criticized policies that have led to unprecedented levels of economic pain, including the sharp increase in fuel prices, inflation, and the devaluation of the naira, which has left many Nigerians struggling to make ends meet.
He noted that the situation is particularly dire for the middle class, which has been “completely wiped out.”
He urged the federal government to reconsider its approach, stating that leadership has a responsibility to ensure justice and equity, with the nation’s common resources distributed fairly.
“When there is a sense of justice and equity, the nation’s common resources are equitably distributed,” he said.
In addition to his call for policy reform, Onaiyekan urged Nigerians to pray for their leaders.