National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Taiwo Niyi, KWARA |
Renowned Ilorin-based Islamic scholar, Prof. Lanre Badmus, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intensify efforts to tackle the severe hunger and poverty affecting ordinary Nigerians.
Prof. Badmus, a lecturer at the University of Ilorin, expressed his concerns while speaking with journalists about the state of the nation in Ilorin, Kwara State.
“The major issue facing Nigeria right now is unprecedented hunger, driven by uncontrollable inflation and pervasive poverty,” he said.
“Despite President Tinubu’s efforts over the past year, his measures have not been sufficient to alleviate widespread poverty.”
Reflecting on the economic situation, Prof. Badmus noted, “Before President Tinubu took office, we were aware of food prices in the market.
“The presidency has a duty to improve the economic and security conditions in Nigeria.
“Unfortunately, the situation seems to be deteriorating compared to the previous administration. Many Nigerians are even longing for the past administration,” he added.
While also commanding the President’s efforts, he however stressed that they fall short of addressing the common man’s needs.
“If hunger continues to corner the common man, it will inevitably lead to anger and unrest.
“It’s disheartening that the President hasn’t adequately tackled poverty, especially regarding workers’ wages.
“The recent proposal of N62,000 monthly wage is laughable and inadequate for an average Nigerian family.”
Prof. Badmus also urged the President to address the inflationary trends impacting the market.
“The current economic conditions make it seem like President Tinubu is more of a capitalist, which isn’t helping the common man.
“If people are hungry and unhealthy, the mortality rate will rise, and there will be fewer Nigerians to govern.”
He also recommended that the President look into reducing the cost of governance.
“Historical Islamic governance provides an example where leaders banned rice cooking in their homes when it became too expensive for the poor.
“If President Tinubu truly cares for the people, he should reduce the cost of governance and cut the emoluments of the executive, legislature, and judiciary by 50%. This would demonstrate a genuine concern for the common people.”
Addressing insecurity, Badmus advised the President to declare a state of emergency on insecurity and banditry.
“The President needs to give the armed forces a clear mandate and a three-month deadline to deliver results. If they fail, the heads of security agencies should be replaced for incompetence.
“We have sophisticated military equipment; it should be used to clear out areas like Niger, Zamfara, Katsina, and Plateau states where banditry and Boko Haram are rampant.”
Despite his criticisms, Prof. Badmus praised the President’s fight against corruption.
“It’s commendable that President Tinubu has taken action against corrupt officials in his cabinet. However, more needs to be done.
“There are still corrupt individuals within his administration, and he should clean his cabinet to maintain his integrity.”
He concluded by urging the President to reassess his appointees’ performances and replace ineffective ones with honest, trustworthy individuals, regardless of political affiliations.
“By doing this, he noted that “we can look forward to celebrating President Tinubu’s achievements in the next year.”
