“Those in power seem to be living in isolation or denial” – Northern Elders raise alarm over rising food prices

Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and the Catholic Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province, yesterday, called on elected officials to desist from giving excuses for worsening inflation, insecurity and economic hardship confronting Nigerians.

NEF said it was deeply concerned about the unchecked rise in inflation, saying it posed a significant threat to the well-being of Nigerians. The forum also said the cost of living had been steadily increasing, particularly in terms of food prices, leading to widespread hunger and malnourishment.

NEF, in a statement by its Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said the situation required immediate attention and action from the government.

He said: “It is disheartening to witness the disconnect between the reality on the ground and the actions, or lack thereof, of our leaders. While millions of Nigerians are struggling to put food on the table and make ends meet, those in power seem to be living in isolation or denial. This indifference to the suffering of the people they are meant to serve is deeply troubling.

“The consequences of this unchecked rise in inflation are devastating for ordinary Nigerians. Families are finding it increasingly difficult to afford necessities, as the prices of essential commodities such as rice, beans, and cooking oil continue to skyrocket. This dire situation has resulted in a rise in malnutrition, particularly among children, as families are forced to prioritise their limited resources.”

Similarly, the bishops said the ship of Nigeria was floundering and that the nation was in desperate need of restoration. The bishops, in a communiqué issued by the province, comprising Ibadan Archdiocese, Ilorin, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti and Osogbo dioceses, after their first meeting for 2024 at the Jubilee Conference Centre, Ibadan, between February 5 and 6, decried killings, different forms of insecurity and economic hardship and called on political leaders to do something fast and desist from giving excuses.

The clerics, in the communiqué, titled: “Nigeria: In Desperate Need for Restoration,” signed by their Chairman, Most Rev ‘Leke Gabriel Abegunrin, and Secretary, Most Rev John Akin Oyejola, said: “Any country run on corruption and falsehood will crumble under the weight of self-inflicted evil.

“Our dear country Nigeria is fast becoming a hostile, killing field. The ship of the nation is foundering under the weight of pervasive insecurity, economic hardship due to hyperinflation and the collapse of the naira, cybercrime, high cost of food, lackadaisical governance and widespread corruption. Day-to-day living is fast becoming an ordeal for millions of Nigerians because pervasive poverty, driven by the harsh environment has driven many to desperation and even suicide.

“It would be nothing short of hypocritical to put all the misery being suffered by Nigerians today down to change in world economy. The truth is that often Nigerians are simply left to their own devices and left at the mercy of the most cruel and aggressive criminals by inept and selfish political and civil leaders.

“In all this, governments often seem weak or altogether absent. Any remedy now is even already too late for many Nigerians who have lost their lives to terrorists, hunger, kidnapping and sundry disasters. We plead for urgent action from all our leaders to save the Nigeria ship from sinking. The much-vaunted renewed hope is turning to utter desperation in many places and there is not much time left.”