Says, “Bringing French Military Base To Nigeria Is A Neo – colonial Slap On Our Faces”
Prominent Nigerian social critic and human rights activist, Comrade Igbotako Nowinta, has described the remarks made by President Bola Tinubu recently concerning the fuel subsidy removal as very unfortunate and grossly insensitive to the terrible plight of Nigerian people.
Comrade Igbotako Nowinta, Executive – Director, Nigeria Good Governance Research Centre ( NGGRC), who doubles as an International Conflict Resolution expert, made the assertion via a press release titled:”Fuel Subsidy Removal In Nigeria: President Tinubu Continues To Be Insensitive To The Plight Of Nigerian People”, which he gave to journalists in Abuja on December 24th, 2024.
Comrade Nowinta said “In a country where unthinkable and unbelievable chronic hardship has become norm, because of the removal of fuel subsidy, even as hundreds of impoverished Nigerians recently became tragic victims of poorly organized philanthropic ventures, initiated by some publicity crazy elites, due to uncontrollable levels of hunger, it is very sad that Nigerian President has chosen to rub salt on our open sores”.
It would be recalled that President Bola Tinubu obliged to a maiden media chat with selected media chiefs on Monday December 23rd, 2024, where, when a question was put to him on the removal of fuel subsidy by one of the interviewers, he replied saying:” No regrets removing petroleum subsidy”.
According to the full details of the said press release”
“Never in the history of our chequered existence as a country, has so much sufferings and tragic deaths visited the people because of the wicked effects of the removal of fuel subsidy regime, orchestrated by President Bola Tinubu”.
“Coming from Mr. President, his remarks in that maiden media chat with press executives, talking about petroleum subsidy removal, is quite unfortunate and grossly insensitive to the terrible plight of Nigerian people. What is democracy if it couldn’t benefit the chunk of the people in a geographical entity! Democracy is meaningless if abundant mineral deposits in our clime couldn’t be annexed to better the lots of our people”.
“In a country where unthinkable and unbelievable chronic hardship has become norm, because of the sudden removal of fuel subsidy, even as hundreds of impoverished Nigerians recently became tragic victims of unorganized philanthropic ventures, initiated by some publicity crazy elites, due to uncontrollable levels of hunger in the land, it is very sad that Nigerian President has chosen to rub salt on our open sores”.
“Instead of Mr. President to have long initiated a grand policy of massive mechanized farming to absorb a chunk of unemployed Nigerians, to pave way for gigantic agro- based economy, which will ultimately grow our export capabilities; ensure assiduously that petroleum prices become cheap and affordable as the official Minister for Petroleum Resources; look inwards and come out with pragmatic programs that will turn our economic mess into a working progressive reality, regrettably, we see a President hell bent on romancing evil policies manufactured by the Bretton Woods Institutions/ World Bank; borrowing as if there is no alternative to that sinister trap”.
What is Mr. President doing with our battered Naira?Nothing! A haunting development which has reduced us to laughing stock globally. Talking about his recent trip to France, as an international conflict resolution expert, l see the bilateral agreement between President Tinubu and France, where French troops are to be stationed in the North – East as a very dangerous development, because France remains an unrepentant imperialist force which continues to feed on the corpses of francophone countries”.
“Nigeria Good Governance Research Centre (NGGRC) is appalled that at a time like this when countries like Burkina – Faso, Niger and Mali have disconnected themselves from France, it is most incomprehensible that Tinubu government has chosen to suck the breasts of such absolutely exploitative country. We challenge Tinubu to utilize our resources positively by purchasing modern weaponry, train and retrain our security personnel in modern warfare; take effective care of the welfare of our security forces, instead of bringing French military base to Nigeria to slap our faces with neo – colonial slap”.
“It is puzzling to know that in the midst of invaluable human capital and extraordinary natural resources, Mr. President and his team has decreased material prosperity and deepened human misery in our country. Quite unimaginably, this Tinubu government continues to subjugate our people in extreme poverty, acute unemployment and stark misery.Definitely, this terrible locust will pass!”.
