Afe Babalola, a prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria and founder of Afe Babalola University, has voiced sharp criticism of President Bola Tinubu's administration, accusing it of worsening poverty and turning Nigerians into beggars through its palliative measures. Speaking over the weekend during a visit to the Prestige Sisters League, Babalola condemned the government's handling of the nation's hunger crisis, particularly its approach of distributing food items such as garri, beans, and rice as relief measures.
“It is wrong for the government to be sharing garri, beans, and rice as palliatives. They are turning the people into beggars. The government that is giving the people rice and beans is leading us to poverty,” Babalola remarked. He emphasized that instead of encouraging dependency through handouts, the government should focus on creating an enabling environment that promotes self-sufficiency and employment.
Babalola attributed the growing hunger crisis in Nigeria to the government's failure to ensure security, which has prevented many citizens from engaging in agricultural activities. He pointed out that the insecurity in rural areas, where farmers are increasingly vulnerable to attacks, has discouraged farming and left many citizens unable to sustain themselves.
"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," Babalola stated.
In August, Nigeria witnessed ten days of protests as citizens expressed their dissatisfaction with the economic conditions under Tinubu's administration. These protests were driven by soaring food prices and worsening living conditions. Babalola supported the demonstrators, describing their grievances as genuine and calling on the government to heed their concerns.
“The protest was genuine, and the government should listen to them (demonstrators),” Babalola urged.
Babalola's comments echo a broader discontent with Tinubu's policies. In July, the *Financial Times* published an editorial criticizing Tinubu's policies as disjointed and harmful, suggesting that they were exacerbating poverty across the nation.
The widespread criticism suggests that Tinubu’s administration faces increasing pressure to address not only the immediate economic challenges but also the long-term structural issues that have left many Nigerians in a state of vulnerability.
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