TINUBU: CALL FOR SACRIFICE: NIGERIANS TELL PRESIDENT TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE

While addressing newsmen after observing the 2024 Eid el-Kabir prayers at Dodan Barracks, Lagos on Sunday, President Bola Tinubu emphasized that for Nigeria to fulfil the dreams of its founding fathers, its citizens must be willing to make sacrifices.

The President also said that Nigerians are not the only ones facing poverty in the world

 “Being a very good citizen comes with responsibility. As citizens, what do you do to be a very committed member of our society? Go and sacrifice. Love your country, love your neighbours, share what you have with one another, and be thankful to Almighty God. That’s all,” said the president.

Nigerians have however asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to lead by example after saying that Nigeria needed sacrificing citizens to fulfil the dreams of its founding fathers.

They also tasked the president to ask those directly working under him like ministers, advisers and heads of agencies, as well as governors at the subnational level, and other people in position of authority, to also live by example, saying sacrifice must start from top to bottom, instead of the other way round.

 The President’s comment elicited reactions from Nigerians, civil society organisations, and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), among others.

·         Dr. Abdulsalam Kani, an economist and lecturer at Saadatu Rimi University of Education, Kumbotso, Kano, who is also the Director, Fiscal Discipline and Development Advocacy Centre (FIDAC), said the government had failed to fulfil its part of the bargain, especially promises made to Nigerians.

 

“The government has removed fuel subsidy and increased electricity tariff, plunging many into difficulty. Nigerians were promised that Port Harcourt refinery will begin production in December last year, and that has not happened. Despite these and the failure of the administration to fulfil promises, they are making plans to buy new aircraft for the president and vice president,” he said.

He said the government had equally failed to address rising inflation which is above 33 per cent at the moment.

“The primary responsibility of government is to ensure welfare and security of its citizens,” he said.

·         Dr Bakare Adegbola, Secretary-General, Nigeria Political Science Association (NPSA), said: “Before demanding such from the masses, he should have shown that he is leading from the front. The cost of governance is too high and yet, we are talking about buying new carriers for the president when we already have ten. Why not sell some of those ageing ones?

“The number of cars in their convoys has shown that they are not making any sacrifice. They need to govern by example and take the lead in their campaign of sacrifice,” he said.

·         Abdullateef Abubakar, a resident of Kano, said the Tinubu administration should rather reduce cost of governance instead of asking poor Nigerians to make sacrifices.

He said the president appointed more ministers with retinue of aides who are paid allowances from the government’s coffers.

“People are really facing difficulties. Food is beyond the reach of many families. What else do they want people to do,” he asked.

He said despite increase of allocation from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to the states, the life of the poor citizens has not improved.

·         Umar Tijjani, a school teacher said Nigerian leaders should fear God and make life easy for the people as life is already unbearable for them.

·         Peter Azi, a resident of Jos, said: “The Sallah message of President Tinubu that Nigerians should sacrifice is very worrisome and disturbing. How can ordinary man sacrifice amidst massive killing, maiming and kidnapping of citizens every day?

“Minimum wage is a total mirage while the cost of governance is on the increase at all tiers of government”, he said.

·         Danjuma Salihu, another resident of Jos, said: “There is no way Nigeria will have sacrificing citizens when those in government are not willing to make enough sacrifices”.

·         Tunde Salman, the Team Lead/Convener, Good Governance Team (GGT) Nigeria, said that President Tinubu and his team should also practice what the administration is preaching.

“But unfortunately, Nigerian leaders have not been known to have practiced what they preached. As such, the expected import of the presidential appeal would most likely be ignored”, he said.

·         Mr. Mark Amaza, the Senior Communications Officer at Yiaga Africa, said it was unconscionable to ask citizens to make more sacrifices in order to make the nation great, as though they have not been making sacrifices already, especially when the leaders were not doing the same.

“Sacrifices such as cutting down the cost of governance need to be made and be seen to be made, from the size of the cabinet, to spending priorities such as renovation and construction of new official residences for the president and his vice, to other extravagances rub salt into the wound of citizens who are going through some of the hardest times in Nigeria’s history,”

·         Comrade Ibrahim Zikirullahi,Executive Director, Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), said the call by President Tinubu on Nigerians to sacrifice more to make the country great was the height of insensitivity.

He said that neither the president nor any other member of the current ruling class had the moral right to make such demand on Nigerians, who had already been reduced to beggars and destitute in a country so blessed with abundant human and natural resources.

 “The question we should be asking the president is: what has he and the other members of his cabinet sacrificed so far, to make Nigeria great? I think the only thing left for the citizens to sacrifice is their lives,” Zikirullahi said.

·         Mr Andrew Mamedu, Country Director, Action Aid Nigeria (AAN), said the president’s call must be accompanied by demonstrable actions from the highest levels of government.

 “The nation is currently grappling with inflation, leading to a significant rise in the cost of living that disproportionately burdens ordinary Nigerians. Those who peacefully protested for a change a few days ago were arrested.

“The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has rightly called for an increased minimum wage to help workers cope with the escalating expenses. Yet, we see the glaring disparity between the sacrifices expected of the average Nigerian and the opulent lifestyle and substantial wages of our lawmakers”, he said.

·         Mr. Gad Peter, the Executive Director, Cleen Foundation,  said the request by President Tinubu for Nigerians to make sacrifices is a request he has been asking for since he came into the office.

“But the fundamental question is that as Nigerians have made sacrifices for him to become our president, what are the things he doing as an individual? What sacrifices is his government making to ensure that Nigerians are enjoying the dividends of democracy and for electing him into office?”, he asked.

·         Yinka Folarin, former National Secretary of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), described Tinubu’s statement as unfortunate, and one that could agitate the consciousness of Nigerians at this critical time. He said Nigerians have been sacrificing, enduring and dying in the face of the economic hardship and failed promises.

He said: “Obviously, the president appears to be in complete disconnect with the people, knowing fully well that Nigerians have been sacrificing and have been enduring even in the midst of unprecedented hardship.

·         The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked President Tinubu to stop corruption in his government and make sure that members of his administration lead by example before telling Nigerians to make sacrifices.

 

“Yes, we agreed that every citizen needs to make sacrifices, but the leadership must lead by example; the government should show the way in making sacrifices by leading by example. That way, the people will be connected to the government.”

 “What is happening is that Nigerians have resorted to providing their own security, they have taken over the role of government, because government has apparently failed them and they are disappointed”, he said.

·         Comrade Egbeola Wale Martins, National Publicity Secretary of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), said President Tinubu asking Nigerians to make more sacrifices was unfair. He said that it is now clear that he (Tinubu) was insensitive because it is not clear what further sacrifices should be made after the removal of fuel subsidy, increment in electricity tariffs, introduction of stamp duty and other taxes to mention but a few, without providing any social safety net to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians.

“Charity should begin from the president and all our so-called leaders across the board as they are the ones who should sacrifice because it’s obvious they are oblivious of the degree of sufferings being experienced by Nigerians”, he said.

The Tinubu Presidency as well as the two chambers of the National Assembly have demonstrated since inception a total disconnect from the plight of the average Nigerian. Most statements coming from the Villa and MDAs show a lack of empathy for the citizens. Most, if not all, policies espoused by the government have impacted negatively on the lives and livelihood of the average Nigerian.

Nigerians continue to grapple with the rising food inflation and astronomical cost of living while profligacy in government continues unabated.