Catholic Bishop To Tinubu: Nigerians Dying Because Of A Cup Of Garri”

The Catholic Bishop of Idah Diocese, Reverend Anthony Adaji, has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration over the current hardship in the country.

Bishop Idah spoke on Sunday, lamenting the sufferings of Nigerians amidst the serious economic situation in the country.

The magazine reported that the prices of essential house holds commodities such as food, gas among others have hit the rooftops since the Tinubu came to power last year.

The economic problems which has left many families stranded because they cannot meet their basic needs, has been further exacerbated by the government insistent that the policies that have brought untold hardship will not be reversed.

The government said steps taken so far are in the interest of the country, and necessary to guarantee her future.

Not a few Nigerians have disagreed, saying some of the policies such as the removal of fuel subsidy and the convergence of the foreign exchange market were carried out without due consultation with major stakeholders.

Bishop Idah who spoke at his 60th birthday celebration at Our Lady Mother of Mercy Catholic Church in Idah, stated that the country is on the verge of becoming a failed state, citing the lack of transparency in local government elections and the erosion of trust in the government.

he stressed that the country is blessed with abundant human and natural resources, but lacked competent leadership, a situation that has led to current sorry state of the economy, where Nigerians are dying because of the lack of food to eat.

He also lamented state governors’ manipulation of the local government elections to favour their party.

Adaji: “People are dying because of a cup of garri right now in our country. I would recall that the former ambassador to Nigeria when he came to commission something in Abuja, said Nigeria is the most concentrated country with black intellectuals around the world. He was a black American who served as an Ambassador many years ago. Even in America, the black people, Nigeria has the highest intellectuals among the black people in the world.

“How can such a country be gradually sinking and becoming a failed State? We cannot pretend about that. The politicians in Nigeria are not helping democracy to grow. So, you cannot tell me that in a particular state that is being controlled by a particular political party, there is no local government that can choose a candidate. This is not true because I don’t believe that. It is a deliberate attempt by politicians to destroy democracy.”

The clergy asserted that the current economic hardship in the country was self-inflicted.

He said, “Nigeria has enough resources that every child in Nigeria should not be hungry. There is a great endowment of wealth in this country, but the mismanagement of wealth has led us to where we are now. This is the situation Nigerians are facing.

“God has blessed Nigeria abundantly, but unfortunately, the mismanagement of Nigeria’s resources over time has brought us to where we are now. If nothing is done it can only get worse and never get better.

“The removal of fuel subsidy and the escalating price of goods with many Nigerians dying because of a cup of garri and can’t afford to feed their family, we can’t call that as an administration that is moving Nigeria forward. It is not at all because we must tell ourselves the truth.

“There is nothing to lose in telling the truth. If the government is committed to uplifting this country forward, the cost of governance must be cut off. You cannot talk of giving politicians billions of naira, and many Nigerians are dying because they can’t afford food to eat.

“We can’t accept such a government. It can only be ranked among governors that have looted the economy. If nothing is done or things continue like this, the nation is spelling for doom,” the bishop said.