Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, a former president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), has criticized the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu over its handling of the country’s affairs, as the nation’s healthcare system and education sector continue to deteriorate amid growing poverty levels, news.ng reports.
Giving his assessment of the state of the nation, Oritsejafor, in an interview on Arise Television on Sunday, expressed deep concern over the increased suffering of the masses.
“It bothers me. I can’t understand. I’m trying my best to understand. And I think if I don’t, there are many, many millions of people who also cannot understand what is happening in Nigeria,” he said.
The revered cleric from the oil-rich Delta State in the southern part of Nigeria described the health sector as a complete failure, questioning the state of government-owned hospitals in the country.
“All right, again, take the health sector. I mean, listen, let’s be honest with ourselves. It’s a total failure.
“How many government-run hospitals are really functioning in Nigeria? How many of them? Look around the country, the whole country. A country of over 200 million people,” Oritsejafor said.
The 81-year-old cleric criticized political leaders travelling abroad for medical treatment while those who voted them into office are struggling to access basic healthcare services.
“But in the meantime, the average politician can just get out of Nigeria with their family. They go to Paris, they go to London, they go to US, they go anywhere, treat themselves. And then they come back home. But the poor man, the common Nigerian, the average Nigerian, is suffering,” he stated.
According to the former PFN president, the country has been divided into two groups- the political class and ordinary citizens.
He said, “It’s like there are two lives in Nigeria; there are two groups in Nigeria. One is the political class,, and then the other are the average and ordinary Nigerians that go about their lives every day. But it’s pathetic. It’s painful to see these things are happening.”
On the state of education in the country, Oritsejafor, who is also the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said the education sector has gone from bad to worse, citing the figure of out-of-school children, which is now 18.3 million.
“Look at education. I think from what I’ve learned, 18.3 million children are out of school. What are we talking about? It’s a joke. Is this the life? Is this what Nigeria should be? Is this how we should live? This is totally wrong,” he queried.
On the rising level of poverty, which has reached an all-time high, Oritsejafor said, “63% poverty in Nigeria. 140 million people live below poverty line in this country.”
He criticized the government’s spending priorities, referencing the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
“And yet we’re borrowing money and borrowing money and borrowing money. We’re spending money. Okay, look at the coastal highway. I mean, it sounds fantastic. It sounds wonderful. But is that the priority, or should that be the priority right now?” he asked.
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