Veteran actor Jide Kosoko defended President Bola Tinubu’s administration amid criticism of the country’s economic situation, saying it is not as bad as critics portray.
The 72-year-old actor made the remarks during an interview on “Talk To B”, a podcast hosted by his colleague, actress Biola Adebayo. The video was posted on YouTube on Friday night.
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He said Mr Tinubu was making strenuous efforts to address the country’s problems.
Kosoko, an open supporter of the president and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), also argued that the current administration was facing criticism for problems inherited from previous governments.
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He said: “People don’t queue to make money; everybody works for their money and business. Things are not as bad as some people made us understand. People make money here and there. Some people might still be unlucky, but that doesn’t mean their time will not come. It is not turn by turn. You can have your money today; my own time can come today too. I need not wait for you. It all depends on what I do and what you do.
“The situation of things now is because the country’s previous governments really did not plan towards the population that was increasing. That was the main problem. They didn’t prepare enough for the gradual population increase. If they had met these challenges, we might not have so many problems on the ground, which Bola Ahmed Tinubu is now fixing. He’s now fixing the country.”
Hunger
Furthermore, the actor argued that some Nigerians complaining about hunger had no meaningful source of livelihood before Mr Tinubu assumed office.
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He added that government policies had changed annually even before Mr Tinubu became president, but successive administrations had failed to manage the changes effectively.
“When you see people saying, I am hungry. Go and check the majority of those people saying that. Before Tinubu came, what were they doing?
“What were they eating? Every year, things change. Those that we understand, we understand. Those that we abuse, we abuse them. I don’t care”, said Kosoko.
Subsidy
Kosoko attributed Nigeria’s present predicament partly to previous governments’ reluctance to end the subsidy regime.
He conceded that his generation’s leaders failed to remove the subsidy, worsening the country’s situation. However, he noted that the same generation was now leading efforts to put things right.
He added that Nigerians would have to confront certain difficulties collectively to overcome the challenges.
“The free money being used to satisfy you and me needs to be taken back for us to face reality. The reality is that we are not buoyant enough to start enjoying what we are enjoying. We still have quite a few other things to do. If the subsidy were not removed and fuel prices were down, you would still spend the excess you pay now on necessary things.
“You are still going to use those things you could have saved from the cost of fuel for students’ school fees, to ensure your environment is good. Your business is moving. This government has taken some of those things from you. Look at NELFUND, students’ loan. If the loan is not given, whatever you will have made will go into that school for your children. It has been taken off you.”
Kosoko called on students and other beneficiaries of the Tinubu administration’s policies to share their experiences and let the citizens know the impact of the government’s programmes.
Policies
He said Nigerians should not expect the government to distribute rice, yams, and other foodstuffs directly to their homes to secure their support.
The actor admitted that the country had yet to overcome its economic challenges but insisted that the administration had introduced policies that were making a difference and attracting investment from business owners.
He appealed to Nigerians to remain patient as the country rebuilds, saying he believed the president was on the right track.
“If people like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala confirm that we are on the right track. She has nothing to gain from such a statement. Then, we are on the right track. Many leaders in the Western world, and many people, are now partnering with Nigeria on investments and similar initiatives. Those are the things that will help us in the few periods we have left.
“The suffering we should have suffered in the past is what we’re all suffering now. If our generation is still helping ensure that this generation still enjoys it, we have little time left. But most importantly, don’t forget we have generations coming. We need to face it once and for all. It is a difficult time—no doubt about it. But we need to face it once and for all. Fix the country”, said the actor.
“Give him a second term”
Kosoko urged Nigerians to re-elect Mr Tinubu in the next presidential election, arguing that the opposition parties had little to offer compared with the incumbent.
He said Mr Tinubu understood the difficulties Nigerians faced and was open to criticism of his administration.
According to Kosoko, such criticism would help the government identify outstanding challenges and address areas that required improvement.
He added that the president had invested in developing people, some of whom had gone on to mentor others and prepare them for leadership roles.
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“Let’s allow the man to finish his job. He’s doing well. Regardless of what his opponents are saying, and at any rate, there is nothing he is doing that is bad before them. They want to rubbish what he is doing so you will think they have stocks, but unfortunately, he is already there doing what he understands. I’ll keep letting people know we still need to give the president a chance to finish what he is doing.
“My appeal is this, please, my people, let’s try and allow Mr President and his team to finish what they started. Honestly, I bet we will all laugh at the end of the day. Then the problem will be, after 2031, who takes over? Because Bola Ahmed Tinubu is going now. By the time he finishes, whoever takes over must be ready for the same strong challenge to keep it moving.
“My appeal is this. He will take us out of this mess. He is only cleaning up people’s mess. We should know. If we don’t cooperate, let it happen, and join in enduring this pain, we won’t reach the promised land. But by God’s grace, we will get to the promised land.”
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