A former Kaduna State governorship aspirant under the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, and current chairman of Aftech Industries Limited, Sheik Ahmed Umar has called on Nigerians to unite in prayer and demand swift action from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to alleviate the ongoing economic hardship facing the country.
Umar, who is also the chairman of Youth Daikin Tijaniyya in Africa, emphasized the importance of prayer and hard work as key strategies for overcoming challenges.
“I call on Nigerians, particularly the youth, to turn to prayer and hard work in these trying times,” he stated, urging citizens to remain patient as the nation navigates its current difficulties.
He added, “I don’t believe that an international organization can predict the fate of Nigerians over 15 to 20 years, as if they are separate from the realities on the ground,”
“Nigerians, both Muslims and Christians, are deeply prayerful, and I believe that, with faith, we can reduce that timeframe significantly.
Tinubu has only been in office for a year and a half, and already, people are feeling the pressure.”
Addressing the skyrocketing prices of essential goods, Umar highlighted the plight of civil servants, many of whom earn a minimum wage of approximately 72,000 Naira, while facing exorbitant daily expenses. He said, “The cost of essential goods, like food, has increased drastically. Just when you adapt to one increase, another follows. I believe President Tinubu is committed to addressing these issues. May Allah support him in finding ways to ease the hardship on Nigerians.”
He acknowledged the discouragement many feel with predictions of prolonged hardship. “Hearing about a potential 15- to 20-year wait is discouraging and can even cause despair. If we turn to Allah and pray, I believe we won’t have to wait that long,” he added.
Discussing potential solutions, Sheik Umar emphasized the importance of allowing food imports to ease shortages.
“One immediate solution to ease the hardship would be for the government to open the borders for food imports. Due to insecurity, our farmers are producing less than 30% of the nation’s food needs.
“Opening the borders for food alone could help reduce food shortages, as some people smuggle food out to neighboring countries for higher prices. Allowing food imports could relieve a lot of the hardship,” he explained.
Sheik Umar, who contested for Kaduna North Senatorial District under the NNPP, also spoke about his potential shift in political alignment. “No, I’m not in the same party. I contested with NNPP, but I’m considering changing to a new party.
I haven’t decided yet which one,” he said. “There is no real ‘third force’ in Nigerian politics yet, so if I change parties, it would likely be either PDP or APC.”
Reflecting on past leadership, he remarked, “It’s difficult to say, but I believe that every leader has their own approach and policies. Nigerians have gone through various leaders and policies, yet hardship persists.
We prayed for better leadership during Obasanjo’s era, then Goodluck Jonathan’s, and later Buhari’s. Each leader came with new promises, yet the issues remained, or in some cases, worsened.”
He highlighted the current crisis, saying, “Today, people are facing even greater hardship, with fuel prices at unimaginable levels. But as a religious leader, I believe the best way to respond is through patience and prayer. In challenging times, fighting the leaders isn’t the answer, as we’ve seen in other countries where conflict leads to devastation. Instead, Nigerians must be patient, pray, and make changes within themselves, as Allah may respond by granting us better leadership.”
Umar also called for responsible management of public funds, stressing that symbolic gestures aren’t enough.
“Reducing government expenses alone isn’t enough to address the needs of over 200 million people. Even if all public officials cut their salaries in half, it wouldn’t solve Nigeria’s problems. Instead, the President and his cabinet need to take focused action to address the root issues. Real change comes from transparent and responsible management of state and federal funds. Leaders should focus on showing the public how they are using the billions allocated to them to benefit the people, rather than symbolic gestures,” he concluded.
