Cardinal John Onaiyekan has raised concerns over Nigeria’s rising unemployment rate, saying many young graduates can no longer think about getting married or starting families because they cannot find jobs.
The Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja made the remarks during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State. He reflected on the country’s economic situation following the recent meeting between the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu.
According to the cleric, the true measure of any government’s success should be the welfare of its citizens rather than economic figures or reports from international financial institutions.
He said, “If we admit that the role of government is the welfare of citizens, then it means we are not going to judge the success of our government on the basis of the statistics from GDP, from the World Bank, or whatever. The important thing is, what, how is the life of the Nigerian?”
Speaking on youth unemployment, Onaiyekan added, “The terrible thing now is many of our young people that have struggled to finish university are all going around with their degrees. They are unable to get a job. Therefore, they can’t even think of marriage. They can’t think of starting a family. They can’t think of planning their life. That is terrible.”
He urged the government to govern with honesty, fairness and justice, warning that growing frustration among unemployed youths could have serious consequences if left unaddressed.
His comments have since generated reactions on social media.
@Blissful Capacity II wrote, “Even people wey dy work still dy fear.”
@Enyeribe Onyekachi commented, “No reasonable Nigerian will vote tinubu again.”
@Man Of Vawulence wrote, “No be who don chop belleful dey think of marriage?”
@Amarachi Bright reacted, “You are talking about marriage🙄🙄 for person wey start good morning with garri??”
@Chijioke Adimike commented, “I tell Nigerian ladies that praying for husbands is rather not a complete prayer point. A man who has a source of livelihood, can feed well and sort other needs will remember that he needs a wife at some point. Pray that men should have money. When they do, they will remember to get married.”
@Moses Caroline wrote, “That is why the young one that want to marry dey c”
@Deborah Emmanuel reacted, “As I never chop since morning so, na so my pikin go day hungry too? Abeg oo.”
@Chinedu Ozoinyama commented, “Una dey reason marriage, I dey reason how not to forget eating onions to avoid blindness from too much garri.”
@Kenechukwu Nwakpa wrote, “This Cardinal is really Shaking Up this Table 🤣🤣🤣🤣.”
@Ahmed Damilola Agbaje added, “TikTokers are not jobless oooo.”
