In the wake of the growing unrest over the recent fuel price hike, Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, a university professor and former presidential candidate of the Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA), has made a passionate appeal to the Nigerian students under the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). The protest, initially scheduled for September 15, 2024, has been met with concern due to its potential risks, especially during the “Ember months.”
Adesanya-Davies implored the federal government to urgently address the fuel price hike, hunger, and economic hardships that are currently burdening the nation. She stressed the importance of both students and government resorting to dialogue rather than protests to resolve the issue of escalating fuel costs.
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Urgent Solutions to Economic Hardships
In her statement, Adesanya-Davies urged President Bola Tinubu to take immediate steps to mitigate the economic strain on Nigerians by cutting the cost of governance. She specifically called for reducing the salaries of the nation’s governors and lawmakers and simultaneously increasing wages for the general populace. The former presidential candidate highlighted the necessity of fixing Nigeria’s refineries, promoting farming, and reducing food importation costs to ease the economic burden on citizens.
Adesanya-Davies also expressed concern about the student-led protests, noting that NANS, which represents over 40 million Nigerian students, is a powerful body that the government should not ignore. She warned that allowing tensions to escalate could lead to loss of lives, which is why she urged students to exercise patience and give the government more time to address these pressing issues.
The Need for Transparency and Restoring Fuel Subsidy
Fuel subsidies have long been a contentious issue in Nigeria, and Adesanya-Davies emphasized that President Tinubu’s policies had deepened the economic hardships experienced by many Nigerians. She called on the government to restore fuel subsidies transparently, asserting that this would boost productivity and help mitigate the negative impact on the economy. Despite Nigeria’s status as one of the leading oil producers globally, the nation still relies heavily on imported petroleum products due to its insufficient refining capacity.
The professor’s statement comes amidst increasing frustrations regarding the high cost of fuel and its ripple effect on the prices of goods and services. She noted that the government’s failure to resolve these issues could further exacerbate the economic crisis, leading to unrest.
Dialogue as a Path to Peace
Adesanya-Davies’ call for dialogue aligns with the views of many Nigerians who believe that peaceful negotiations are key to resolving the current fuel price crisis. While protests are a fundamental aspect of any democracy, she reminded the nation that these actions should be conducted within legal bounds and should not endanger the lives of citizens.
As NANS prepares for the protest, Adesanya-Davies continues to advocate for a peaceful resolution, encouraging the government to listen to the grievances of the students while ensuring that long-term solutions are implemented to resolve the fuel price crisis and overall economic hardship.
Conclusion
The call from Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies highlights the need for urgent government intervention in addressing the economic challenges Nigerians face today. By cutting governance costs, increasing salaries, fixing refineries, and restoring fuel subsidies transparently, the federal government could alleviate some of the hardships currently faced by the populace. As protests loom, dialogue remains the preferred solution to ensure the safety of Nigerian students and the stability of the country.
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