All hail our government by palliative

On February 6, 2024, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province made an observation that sounded and appeared hilarious. The Bishops from Ibadan Archdiocese, Akure Diocese, Ekiti Diocese and Oyo Diocese and Osogbo Diocese said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was running a “government by palliatives.” It was their first meeting in 2024 and already they had observed that “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.” This observation of our father in the Lord is still valid, and things are getting worse than the clerics had noted in February 2024.

The bishops were alarmed that eight months after taking the oath of office as president, Bola Tinubu was either at a loss with how to move the country’s economy forward or had chosen not to act about it. They said from what they were seeing at their various chairs, the country was drifting dangerously into hunger, economic abyss and chaos. They also said that they had observed that Tinubu’s “renewed hope was turning to desperation” among Nigerians. These Nigerians are members of their congregations. These lamenting Nigerians are their immediate and extended family members. These crying Nigerians are their parishioners; their friends, their staff members and all. Reports – credible reports of extant societal exigencies get to them. They speak about these situations in their various homilies at different occasions, and at meetings with the lay people. They are informed. They are aware. They know.

Although the Catholic clerics pointedly said “the ship of state is foundering” under Tinubu, they also expressed their hope in heightened security and, especially food security. The clerics didn’t just point out to Tinubu that he was turning his government into machinery for mere food handouts. They also offered pieces of advice which they articulated well in a communiqué they issued at the end of their meeting on February 6, in Ibadan. They did not mince words. They did not beat about the bush. Strengthening governance by palliative, by their suasion, was as unhelpful as it is unhealthy for the economic development of Nigeria. They want the government to rise to the challenge of food insecurity and meaningfully engage Nigerians in ways better than their current style.

But on 22 March, 2025, reports filled the news media that Tinubu had donated palliatives in the South East. Thus, the government, since coming into power has sustained its governance by palliative style. The earlier report from that part of the country was that some people had prevented the trucks conveying the palliative from continuing their journey into the South East. They were said to have told the truckers to go back with their cargoes, that they were not hungry. A few days after, the second report about the palliative said it had been delivered by President Tinubu and that the cargo was received in Owerri, the Imo State capital where Hope Uzodimma is fully representing. Before the drama in the South East, there had been news of the distribution of food in the northern parts of the country by the government, and also by the son and the daughter of the president.

At the reception of the food palliative in Owerri, Governor Hope Uzodimma, who spoke on behalf of the president said it was to support the people of the South East in their Ramadan fast. Ramadan fast in the South East…? Well, there are fasting Nigerians everywhere in the country, we can argue. Uzodimma was quoted to have said “each state would get two trailer loads of rice, amounting to 1,200 bags as well as cartons of noodles to break their fast.” The report added thus: “He also announced a donation of N5 million support by the president to each state for fuelling and transportation of the items.” As if they knew that something might go amiss, “he further urged the governors to be transparent in the distribution of the items and ensure that they are distributed mostly to the poor and downtrodden.” This suasion simply reinforces the thought that the leaders know that the goodies meant for the poor and the downtrodden often do not get to the poor and the downtrodden. They know.

At the delivery and reception of the food and funds, President Tinubu’s representative said: “As we work hard to bring permanent solution to the hunger in the land and high cost of living which is a global thing, the president has decided to intervene from time to time with palliative measures to cushion the effect of hardship occasioned by global economy recession. The government is investing a lot of money in agriculture and livestock development to ensure food security and sufficiency. This interim intervention is to cushion the effect of the gap that is created between the period of planting and harvesting.” While the government is intensifying its efforts in giving handouts, the same government has, like the ones above, only been fatuously reeling out words on food security and sundry jargons. There is nothing to do now than to fold our hands, keep fingers crossed and find ways to preserve our sanity.

So, more than one year after the bishops made their observation, the Federal government seems to have rather reinforced and made perfect the art of sharing palliative. The upgrade brought the palliative to the level of regular ‘handouts’ by government. That appears to be the only thing this government knows best how to do. It has, however, got tired of the kicks against it and has divested that arm of its operations to the son of the president and the daughter of the president. They are running that aspect of our life now on behalf of … Who now? Why are they doing this? On whose behest are the president’s children taking food around the country? It is festering and it is believed that it would become more intense as 2027 gets closer.

In 2024, the clerics had answered the government’s regurgitatorial mantra: ‘global economic recession’. Uzodimma sang the song again in 2025 as an excuse for sustained poor government performance. The bishops said it is: “Nothing short of hypocritical to put all the misery being suffered by Nigerians today down to change in world economy.”

At each turn, the government of President Bola Tinubu has not failed to remind those of us who are not in the right circles what we truly are in their reckoning. President Tinubu and his team are resolute in reminding us all that regardless of how the good-hearted farmer adorns his chickens—that even if he decorates them all with Pélé or Àbàjà tribal marks – they would all end up as meat on his table or that of his customers, someday.

Na awa Mama be this?

Mrs. Rita Ogonne Evbodaghe, the Rector, had responded on behalf of their Mama until good reason prevailed. Students of Delta State College of Nursing Sciences, Agbor, who responded to a song, in which someone was introduced as their only mother, were in soup. They were in soup not because they attacked the person introduced to them as their mother. They ran into trouble not because they deserted the venue of the introduction or raised the roof with cataclysm. But they ran into trouble because they said ‘No’ to the man who did the introduction, who had said “Na our Mama be this o, we no get another one…”

The students in their reciprocal chant said to the man: “Na your Mama be this o.” He said they didn’t have a mother outside the woman who was in the school on a rare visit. The students said no, that they had their mothers elsewhere. It was a very awkward controversy but it had a basis…what some people refer to back story, which is a matter for another day.

The poor students fell in a stroppy situation, particularly Osato Edobor, who was issued a query by no other personality than the Rector, Mrs. Evbodaghe, herself. Don’t forget the current condition of protests and protesters in the country. Also, remember that dissent or protest, regardless of its form, way or manner, has tacitly become forbidden in our country. In fact, protests have become a treasonable act in Nigeria. Ask the #EndBadGovernance protesters and their associates. The Corps member that lamented the steep inflation in the country is also a case in point. She had the whole apparatus of the government information system unleashed on her via the social media.

So, the student-nurses that sang in retort at the Delta State College of Nursing Sciences in Agbor have now had the state come after them. But thank goodness, we would rest, and watch.

Mrs. Evbodaghe acted typical, and she did not disappoint on behalf of the government. They would have told us that they were not aware of the query issued to the student. They would, as usual deny any knowledge of the plan to punish the student. They would have hidden in the dark and punish her. Or, how could it be that it is no less a personality than the Provost of the college herself that had to sign a query to one student? Osato had been marked for being daring and they would have made a scapegoat of her. Is this not an interesting twist to the tale?

Let’s exhale and congratulate both the Provost and the student. The college said she violated the rules governing studentship there by what she posted on the social media. Her punishment would have been expulsion. They were about to throw away the right of the students to express themselves as we did back in the days of the military. They would have also flung the constitution of the country to the backyard in that fierce desperation to boot-lick. She would have lost her right to be called a Mama. Phew!!!

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