Governor Mohammed Umar Bago echoed Peter Obi’s earlier remarks when he voiced his shock that Nigeria had accepted food help from the war-torn Ukraine.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja for the Leadership Award event, Governor Bago emphasised how dishonourable it is for Nigeria to depend on aid from a nation that is ravaged by conflict and instability.
At the esteemed event, Bago and Obi were both honoured recipients.
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“My boss,” the Niger governor told Mr Obi, “you are very right on what you’ve said. “We have no reason to be poor. People may not like you, but they must hear you. What you say is the gospel truth.”
The governor, who is a part of President Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress, emphasised Mr. Obi’s position when he added, “It is time we tell ourselves the basic truth.” We must take care of our own food. It is unfortunate that we are receiving food from people (sic) like Ukraine during a war.
He further said, “Nigeria needs to be productive. You cannot be out of poverty unless you start to produce. I’m not an advocate of handouts and palliative. I don’t believe in it.”
In response to rising inflation and rising food prices, the Ukrainian government recently donated 25,000 tonnes of wheat to support 1.3 million needy people in the crisis-ridden Northeast of Nigeria.
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Mr. Obi replied that he was disappointed, calling it “disheartening” and considering it a national disgrace that Nigeria, a nation renowned for its plenty of resources, is obtaining food help from the war-torn Ukraine.
On the other hand, Information Minister Mohammed Idris had a different viewpoint and said there was nothing wrong with collecting funds from Ukraine given its unstable situation.
“The fact that we are having challenges at the moment does not make Nigeria a failed state,” said Mr Idris. “Therefore, accepting grains from Ukraine does not make Nigeria or Egypt failed countries.”
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