By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
President Bola Tinubu’s defense of the controversial fuel subsidy removal, which he claims is essential to prevent Nigeria’s economic collapse, rings hollow to many Nigerians struggling with severe hardship. While Tinubu asserts that these economic reforms are necessary for long-term stability, it’s hard to ignore the immediate suffering of the citizens. As he acknowledged at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, “the good life” of the past was a “fake” one, but was it worth dismantling the already fragile livelihoods of millions?
“The decision was taken to prevent economic collapse,” Tinubu says, but the real question is: collapse for whom? The pain from skyrocketing fuel prices and inflation has left ordinary Nigerians struggling to survive, and many are questioning whether the benefits of these reforms are truly reaching them. Moreover, the promised funds from the subsidy removal remain murky, with no clear or transparent accounting. Nigerians are asking, “Where is the money?”
Tinubu’s words may be meant to reassure the nation, but they fall flat when the daily realities on the ground are so harsh. The hardship faced by Nigerians seems to contradict the supposed long-term gains, with little accountability for the funds supposedly generated. While Tinubu pushes for homegrown solutions and innovation to solve Nigeria’s problems, one has to wonder: will these initiatives be more than just talk, or will they ever trickle down to the people who need them most?
This is a time of reckoning for Nigeria, but for the citizens, it feels more like a sacrifice with no promise of salvation.
