The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has described the statement credited to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Theresa May, about Nigeria as unfortunate.
May reportedly remarked during her visit to South Africa on Tuesday that Nigeria was a home to the highest number of world’s very poor people.
Speaking with our correspondent in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Wednesday, the Secretary-General of Afenifere, Chief Sehinde Arogbofa, said May’s comments should spur the Nigerian government to work and make life better for the citizens.
According to him, the current administration should be able to change the perception of the world leaders about Nigeria by finding a solution to the various challenges facing the country.
He recalled that the President of the United States of America, Mr. Donald Trump regarded President Muhammadu Buhari as being ‘lifeless’, saying the word was derogatory to the Nigerian President.
He said, “The comments of some world leaders about our President and country are not good remarks, some days ago Trump regarded our President as lifeless. That is unfair. The word lifeless is derogatory and weighty to be said to the President of the country with the largest economy in Africa.
“After that, Theresa May came with another bad remark, saying 87 million Nigerians live on $1.90 per day, making Nigeria the home of very poor people in the world, that is a very serious indictment. I know some have reacted to Trump’s comment and some will still react to May’s remarks.
” But I think the government should now look beyond defences, we should now look at the issues with our eyes open. I think our government should take all these remarks as a serious challenge to do better. Everybody knows that the common man is suffering in this country.
The Punch
