High Chief Owolabi Salis, a prominent US-based lawyer, has expressed grave concern over the escalating cost of foodstuffs in Nigeria, warning that the poor are suffering under the burden of acute hunger, misery, and squalor.
Salis lamented that despite over a year since the current administration took office, the high cost of food remains a pressing concern for the Nigerian populace, with no signs of alleviation. Instead, the situation has worsened, making it increasingly difficult for the marginalised poor to access basic necessities.
The lawyer urged the government to take immediate action to address the crisis, stating that the situation is “beyond the bounds of tolerance” and cannot continue unchecked.
“But one is intensely surprised that under-privileged poor Nigerians are being driven to the farm but ironically, government had been hitherto not proactive in fulfilling their side of the bargain.”
“The ravaging onslaught of the Fulani herdsmen who had perpetually ostracized farmers from their land, making their farms a no-go zone to them, through an unabated spree of savage killing and kidnapping has continued without let or hindrance. Moreover, the soaring inflationary spiral which had sky-rocketed the cost of pesticides and fertilisers to high heaven is also hitherto not tackled to any appreciable effect.
“I remember about four months ago when I granted the SUN newspaper a full-page interview. I did stress the need for the president to cast his focus on security, electricity, and agriculture in view of their strategic importance in driving other sectors, while simultaneously harnessing the limited resources to optimum beneficial advantage.
“And only two weeks ago, I did issue a statement featured in all the major national newspapers, also stressing the need to tackle agriculture with the decisive despatch it deserves, but it appears the powers that be are not taking so much heeds to the wise prompting” lamented the learned lawyer-politician, popularly known as “Oba Mekunu” (king of the poor in Lagos and New York)because of his humanitarian propensity for the down-trodden.”
He continued; “Asiwaju should also borrow a leaf from President Roosevelt who presided over the US during the excruciating moment of the world economic depression of the 1930s. It remained vividly on records even till today, how he defied popular party convention in which the president will often rely on the party to recommend appointees to top public offices. In other words he by-passed the party and unilaterally chose those who in his own esteem were capable of assisting him in surmounting the crucial challenges of that period.
“President Tinubu would do well by looking beyond the narrow consideration of party loyalty to the wider public world in the bid to fetch for complete well-heeled technocrats with the requisite acumen to team up with him in lifting the country from the doldrums”.
Salis’ warning comes as many Nigerians struggle to cope with the soaring cost of living, exacerbated by food inflation. The call to action echoes the sentiments of many who are urging the government to prioritize the welfare of its citizens and address the deepening food crisis.
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