The Root Cause of Nigeria's Hunger and Hardship- A Critical Analysis.

 The Root Cause of Nigeria's Hunger and Hardship- A Critical Analysis.

As Nigeria grapples with hunger, unemployment, and hardship, many have been quick to point fingers at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration.

 However, a closer examination of the situation reveals that the problem lies not with the federal government, but with the sub-national governments – the governors and local government chairmen.

President Tinubu's decision to remove the fuel subsidy has been a subject of controversy, but it has also freed up more funds for the states and local governments.

 With a monthly FAAC allocation of close to N25 billion for some states and over N10 billion for the least, one would expect to see a significant impact on grassroots development. Unfortunately, this has not been the case.

The reality is that most governors and local government chairmen are not utilizing these funds effectively.

 Instead of investing in agro-business hubs, infrastructure, SMEs grants, productive machinery, healthcare, social welfare, and entrepreneurship development, they seem to be more interested in cosmetic governance. 

The result is a lack of tangible development and an exacerbation of poverty and hunger.

It is ironic that many of the political gladiators who are now complaining about hunger and hardship are the same individuals who held positions of power in the past. 

They were either governors for almost eight years, ministers, or party gladiators who failed to make a positive impact when they were in power.

 Now that they are out of power, they have suddenly become advocates for the people.

The truth is that good governance is not rocket science. A visionary and entrepreneurial-minded leader can transform their country, state, or local government through entrepreneurial interventions, social interventions, philanthropic efforts, and government funding.

 The problem in Nigeria is not the federal government; it is the incompetence of the governors and local government chairmen.

As someone who has observed the situation closely, I blame the people for voting incompetent leaders into power.

 We need leaders who can think outside the box, leaders who can harness the resources available to them to drive development and growth.

 With a fertile land, huge human capital, natural resources, and a good climate, Nigeria has all it takes to prosper.

 However, it is time for us to hold our leaders accountable and demand better governance.

In conclusion, while President Tinubu's administration has its challenges, it is doing well in fostering developmental policies, reforms, and attracting foreign investments. 

The ball is in the court of the governors and local government chairmen to deliver on their promises and drive grassroots development.

 Until then, Nigerians will continue to suffer the consequences of poor governance.

By Olubunmi Oluwadare, National Business Development Service Provider (NBDSP)

Author- I SEE MONEY IN AFRICA.