From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
Overwhelmed with the persistent high cost of goods and services in Nigeria, despite efforts by the Federal Government to cushion the effects, HRM Eze Amobi Uwaleke has predicted that the end to the nation’s socioeconomic woes is not in sight.
Eze Amobi who’s the traditional ruler of Obibi Uratta in Owerri North Council area of Imo State disclosed this on Thursday while interacting with Journalists in his ancestral palace, on the state of the nation.
According to the reverred Royal Father, “Nigerians are certainly on the cross road over the hyper inflation coupled with economic hardship. The prices of food, building materials, essential commodities, infact everything are on roof top.
“Can you imagine Nigerians buying a litre of gas for 1,500 Naira while fuel sales between 700-750 Naira per litre in a country that produces petroleum products, is this not an economic madness? Is this not an economic aberration?
“You don’t need a soothsayer to tell you that Nigerians are suffering. To be honest with you, they’re suffering more than they suffered during the civil war and COVID-19 . It has reached the point that every Nigerian should seek the face of God Almighty for mercy and divine intervention.
“The federal government as a matter of exigency should look for immediate solution so as to alleviate the sufferings, but to me, is like the Federal Government have explored all her options.
” It demands courage and will power for the government to return back in subsidizing petroleum products and fixed the exchange rate, not through devaluation of the Naira, but through improved exports, which entails setting back President Tinubu’s agenda for good governance”.
He pointed out that probably the only solution as being canvassed by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is for Nigerians to suffer now and have an everlasting enjoyment later. stressing that the sufferings of the populace may metamorphose into better living and better life.
The traditional ruler maintained that, “Nigeria socioeconomic woes alleviation can not end soon, because the extent the sufferings have gone, it has reached an irredeemable boiling point, thus, from historical experiences in Nigeria, nothing ever goes up that comes down, so the hardship has no elasticity end based on hindsight and historical experiences.
Eze Amobi further observed that It’s unfortunate that Nigerians today are not talking about three square meals, nor are they talking about two, one square meal is a privileged to most Nigerian families in this 21st century, alot of families are suffering, a bag of rice in Owerri is 78,000 while paint of garri goes to 2,500.
“Is this not an economic disaster? How can the people survive with which income ? It’s horrible. Ironically, some sycophants are praising the President. You simply asked your self for what? That he has done well, honestly Tinubu has mortgaged Nigerians into socioeconomic hell” he insisted.
The traditional ruler, however used the occasion in commending the Governor of Imo State,Senator Hope Uzodimma for his frantic efforts at rehabilitating the MCC-Uratta Road, which used to be a death trap before now,among the administration’s other laudable achievements.
The Social critic who described himself as, a very pragmatic, courageous and straight forward traditional ruler noted agriculture as not the best option as an immediate solution to the nation’s lingering socioeconomic hardship.
