Olisa Agbakoba, former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), says the administration of President Bola Tinubu is not communicating hope to Nigerians.

Speaking with TheCable on Wednesday, Agbakoba said the presidency is not leading by example by cutting down on the cost of governance.

The senior lawyer said the empathy of the government in view of the current hardship in the country is not apparent.

Agbakoba, who expressed fear about the future of Nigeria, said there is a rapidly growing revolt across the country owing to the high cost of living.

“I agree with those saying the presidency is not leading by example by moderating their lifestyles and cutting down on the cost of governance. It is very clear. The empathy of the government is not apparent,” he said.

“There is something that former US President, Franklin Roosevelt, said in the Great Depression years of America in the 1930s. The thing to do about making people happy is not to give them a job, you first give them hope.

“So, the government ought to be communicating hope. They ought to be saying ‘we are going through this difficult period but there is light at the end of the tunnel’. This government is not communicating that at all, which I think is a big error.”

‘FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE HOPE’

Agbakoba said that while Nigerians can manage in difficult times, the failure of the government to give them reassuring words is worsening the situation in the country.

“Failing to communicate hope makes Nigerians depressed. It is not that Nigerians cannot live with high food prices. They will always find ways to manage difficult situations. Even IBB (Babangida) said he doesn’t know why Nigeria has not collapsed,” he said.

“The problem we have is that the government is not communicating hope. If you communicate hope and say to a person who has malaria that ‘don’t worry, in two weeks’ time you will be well’, that will lift the person’s spirits because he has that hope.


“But right now, the government is not telling us that in two or three months, we are likely to be in a better state. That is the biggest problem that the government is not communicating properly.

“The second one is that the government is not even telling us how we can come out of this problem. That is why as we are beginning to see, there is a slow revolt around the country, pointing to a protest of costs of living. It is everywhere.”

Agbakoba called on the government to take action to address the disgruntlement being expressed by Nigerians.

jumper524:
The economic saboteurs are about to open a new chapter from this week since their currency sabotage has casted.
The next is sponsored protest.
They started with heavy kidnapping in Abuja tinubu match them, moved to banditry in the north and west, tinubu again matched them, moved to negative price speculation on foods, demands and supply hit them too hard.
They continued sabotaging our currency on a daily, now they've been matched once more.
Next is to trigger protest and the DSS is not smiling with anyone.
The reason I supported tinubu is his ability to deal with those saboteurs.

malali:
I have said it time and again. This current government does not have a good Minister of Information.

This current administration is well dressed but its standing in a dark room. (A lot of people cant see the nice clothes if the Minister doesn't turn on the light)

Minister of Information needs to highlight the journey and sell Hope to Nigerians.

Lai Mohammed defended Buhari's regime to the last at the expense of his reputation and clashed with Nigerians many times.

The current minister takes a Hands off approach. He needs to wake up and start engaging Nigerians, He needs to bring information before questions are asked, He needs to engage Nigerians so much they are tired of asking questions, He needs to get bloggers and media to tweet and post the good things done, those in the pipeline and those anticipated in the future.

Nigerians will eventually call the Minister a liar, but that comes with the Job. You cannot please everybody.

He has one of the most difficult jobs that can make or destroy this administration. Tell your Minister to wake up, the world is now digital. Go to Nollywood, cast stories that will depict what has been happening in Nigeria and changes made for better results, let the citizens know why there will be pain before things improve.

jumper524:
The economic saboteurs are about to open a new chapter from this week since their currency sabotage has casted.
The next is sponsored protest.
They started with heavy kidnapping in Abuja tinubu match them, moved to banditry in the north and west, tinubu again matched them, moved to negative price speculation on foods, demands and supply hit them too hard.
They continued sabotaging our currency on a daily, now they've been matched once more.
Next is to trigger protest and the DSS is not smiling with anyone.
The reason I supported tinubu is his ability to deal with those saboteurs.

Greattha:
Continue.

This government that has continued looting and living lavishly despite the current situation isn't a saboteur abi?

Dey play...jus dey play.