Stephen Adegbite, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Lagos, urged Nigerians on Thursday to have patience and support President Bola Tinubu in his efforts to create a better nation.
Following protests by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress on Wednesday over the withdrawal of the gasoline subsidy and the country's rising cost of living, Adegbite made this statement at a news conference in Abuja.
According to Adegbite, tolerating the subsidy system would be the same as delaying terrible times that might be even worse than the ones we are currently experiencing.
The CAN leader urged Nigerians to maintain their composure, pointing out that the country is already emerging from the shadows.
We cannot be moaning about a lack of social infrastructure and facilities, as well as about poor pay for civil officials, while also opposing attempts to increase their availability and quality, he remarked.While it can be simple to recognize the protest's charity, in my opinion, its ultimate goal must be the good of the entire polity.
Adegbite continued by saying that while the subsidy was being paid, a small group of people took advantage of it, making Nigerians the secondary beneficiaries.
"What we are experiencing is the best that can happen to us," he remarked.
though with pain. We feel the pains of Nigerians, we have families, we have members; even in the church some people cannot come to church anymore because of fuel increase.
“But we have to endure for now, Mr President said there are better days ahead and by the special grace of God, in another six months, Nigeria will sing a new song, Nigeria will be delivered.
"We have known Mr. President for more than 27 years, and even as an individual, he does not like to be around individuals who are in pain.
"He wants what's best for this country; he has this country's best interests at heart, which is why he personally met with the labor unions.
"We will make sure to closely monitor the government's performance on its commitments to ensure that the benefits of democracy are realized and Nigeria improves for all of us to live in."