Former Governor Rauf Aregbesola has issued a caution to President Bola Tinubu regarding the risk of social unrest if Nigeria’s economic hardships continue to worsen.
Speaking during a panel session at a national dialogue on the Parliamentary Bill, hosted by the Parliamentary System Support Group in the House of Representatives in Abuja on Monday, Aregbesola expressed concerns over the increasing economic divide.
“We have seen worsening economic—even political and spiritual—conditions of Nigerians. You don’t need to be a nuclear scientist to know that,” remarked Aregbesola, a former ally of Tinubu.
He pointed out that prosperity in Nigeria, though present, is now concentrated among a small fraction of the population, adding that “a smaller percentage of Nigerians are now prosperous—not that there is no prosperity in Nigeria—but it is decreasing daily.”
Aregbesola emphasized the urgency of addressing these challenges to prevent possible uprisings, noting that, in his view, the gap between the wealthy and the poor has expanded significantly over time.
“When I was born and during my developmental years, wealth was not as limited to the hands of a very few people as it is today. So, what does that tell us? It tells us that we are in deep trouble,” he stated.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s governance, he added, “We would not be here discussing this if things were normal in Nigeria,” underscoring the critical need for systemic change.
The former Osun governor warned that the lack of economic opportunity and rights for the majority could lead to resistance and, potentially, revolt.
“If other things fail, people can revolt. If we are conscious of all this and understand the consequences of things getting out of hand, we would be interested in finding the best ways to govern ourselves,” Aregbesola advised.
