Former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has said that the recent stampedes in Ibadan, Okija, and Abuja signalled the gravity and scale of economic distress in the country.
Ezekwesili maintained that “Nigerians have become victims of widespread food poverty, especially among low and peripheral middle-income families.”
She further expressed sympathy to the organizers of the events who according to her grossly underestimated the scale of beneficiaries that would show up at the event.
She stated that the death of the children who went in search of food should send a strong message to Nigerian leaders who she described as ‘indulgent’. She however expressed skepticism if they will listen.
Her post reads,”My heart cries out for families of victims of the 3 stampedes that occurred during charity food distribution events in Ibadan, Okija in Anambra State and Abuja.
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“Nothing in recent times has signaled the gravity and scale of economic distress in our land than these similar tragedies in a season of celebration.
“The fact that some like to deny is that Nigerians have become victims of widespread food poverty especially among our low and peripheral middle income families.
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I feel sad for the well-intended organizers of the 3 programs across the country who grossly underestimated the scale of beneficiaries that would show up in this season of famine in our land.
“And then of course our weak emergency response system that has often failed to mitigate tragedies.
“These serial losses of several of our children who went in search of free food should send the strongest message yet to all self-indulgent “leaders” in Nigeria’s public offices. But will they hear?,” she queried.#Oby Ezekwesili
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