Nigeria @66: Kaduna cleric tells Tinubu Nigerians can’t afford to feed

As Nigerians across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, celebrate the 66th year Independence Anniversary of the country, popular Kaduna-based female cleric, Apostle Glory Helen Ikeleji of Christ Goshen City Assembly Worldwide, has noted that many Nigerians were currently passing through difficult times due to the increasing cost of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as Fuel.

Apostle Glory Helen,  who decried the situation during an exclusive telephone interview with Arewa PUNCH Correspondent on Thursday, described “the incessant and arbitrary fuel price increase as sad,” noting that “most poor people in the country are no longer able to eat three square meals per day because of the suffering meted out to them as a result of the fuel subsidy removal by the federal government.”

The cleric, who insisted that as a mother to many children of God and servant of the Most High, stressed that there was a need for her to tell those in power the truth.

Thus, she appealed to President Bola Tinubu and members of his cabinet to urgently look into the matter with a view to proffering solutions to the challenges being faced by the citizens.

She said, “I am a mother. I’m pained and deeply hurt to see many of my daughters, children, and sons unable to afford three meals per day.

“No true mother will watch her children go hungry. It saddens my heart. Like other women and several mothers in the country who daily watch their children starve because they are unable to feed, we mothers are not happy,” Apostle Glory Helen declared.

She further pointed out, “A lot of people are going through financial challenges.

Fuel is increasing every day, and the more the price of fuel rises, the more food stuff and other essential daily needs increasingly become expensive in the market and beyond the reach of the vulnerable Nigerians.

“People are really suffering because of the unstable and incessant increase in fuel and other petroleum products. This increase has also particularly affected the cost of transportation and commuting from one place to another is now a luxury because it is very expensive. People are going through a lot of hardship,” she maintained.

“Our President promised us lower fare in transportation by October 1, but there hasn’t been remarkably and noticeable change in transport fares. The CNG buses that our various governments promised to deploy to the various states to ease the hardship of transport fares have not been seen and where operational have not reduced commuting fare.

“We, therefore, want our President to look into this, and to make sure that the fuel price is reduced, so that the suffering of the masses can reduce.

“If the President can try and bring down the price of fuel, everybody will be happy with him and his government and the country will continue to prosper in all ramifications,” Apostle Glory Helen advised the government.

However, the Kaduna-based Cleric commended the administration of President Tinubu for showing great commitment in the fight against kidnapping and banditry, especially in the Northern part of the country.

She narrated that before the emergence of the Tinubu administration in 2023, the issue of insecurity was a great concern to many Northerners because most of them could no longer sleep with their two eyes closed.

According to her, the President’s people-centered policies and regular deployment of security personnel to affected communities in the region, had helped to bring normalcy to most troubled areas which had recurring issues of insecurity.

In spite of the successes recorded in the area of security, Apostle Glory Helen, noted that the issues on insecurity had not been fully addressed as there were some communities in the North still facing repeated attacks from unknown gunmen. Therefore, she urged the government to do more in ensuring that the citizens are safe from all forms of attacks by bandits and other criminal elements.

“The security situation is better than before. So I believe that our President is making efforts to put an end to it. However, I will urge him and other members of his cabinet, and the security agencies to do more for the citizens, especially the people in the Northern part of the country,” she pleaded.

Arewa PUNCH reports further that Apostle Glory Helen while speaking on the nation’s 66th independence, also urged Nigerians in general not to give up on the country despite the prevailing challenges.

Going spiritual, she urged the citizens to continue to pray for Nigeria and all its leaders in order to get God’s intervention for the nation.

“I want to urge all the citizens to continue to pray for this nation, and I strongly believe that God will glorify Himself in Nigeria. The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 7.14, “If my people which are called by my name can humble themselves and seek my face, I will forgive them of all their sins, and I will heal their land,” she spoke philosophically.

Ahead of the 2027 general election, the cleric urged Nigerians to vote for only leaders with proven track records, noting that people who do not mean well for the nation or their various states and constituencies should not be elected to occupy government offices.

Apostle Glory Helen called for a peaceful and transparent electioneering process devoid of violence or electoral manipulations in order to ensure that the right leaders emerge.

“The coming election is the will of God to prevail in this nation. We want the hand of God in this election. The hand of the Lord will bring result. Everybody should go peacefully and vote for their candidates. But even as they are voting, they should call on God. God will intervene in this nation. It will not take God one day to change the captivities of the nation,” she said.