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TINUBU WANTS TO MONOPOLISE NIGERIAN ECONOMY FOR FEW CRONIES – YORUBA UNION CONDEMNS 15% FUEL IMPORT TAX

A Yoruba Union, known as Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, has accused President BolaTinubu of overburdening Nigerians with excessive taxation amid worsening poverty, unemployment, and insecurity across the country.

The group claimed that the President’s economic policies are so harsh and anti-people that Nigerians may soon have to pay taxes simply for breathing.

In a statement released on Friday, the Union’s Convener, Olusola Badero, through its Home Director, Princess Balogun, condemned what it described as the “insensitive and exploitative” actions of the Tinubu-led administration.

The group said the government’s recent decision to approve a 15 percent ad valorem import tariff on fuel imports, which has pushed the pump price of petrol to ₦1,000 per litre in many parts of the country, is the latest in a string of policies that have worsened the suffering of ordinary citizens.

“People can no longer afford two meals a day. Farmers have abandoned their farmlands due to constant attacks by armed herders, while thousands of children have dropped out of school because their parents can no longer cope with the unbearable cost of living under Tinubu’s economic toxicity.”

The Yoruba Union lamented that the cost of living has skyrocketed since Tinubu assumed office, with public universities increasing tuition fees by over 200 percent, businesses shutting down across states, and millions of Nigerians sliding deeper into poverty.

According to the Union, the government’s tax policies have “ripped the dignity” off Nigerians, leaving many to resort to begging to survive.

“Tinubu claims to be a democrat, but his leadership has brought nothing but hardship, hopelessness, and hunger. His administration is more interested in protecting the business interests of his allies, especially Aliko Dangote, than in ensuring fair competition or supporting struggling entrepreneurs. It is clear that Tinubu wants to monopolise the Nigerian market for a few cronies while crushing the dreams of ordinary citizens,” Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá said.

The group further accused the President of being “unconcerned and unremorseful” about the plight of millions of citizens, saying his policies are designed to enrich the elite while suffocating the masses.

It described the President’s actions as a betrayal of Yoruba values of Omoluabi, which emphasise integrity, empathy, and communal responsibility.

“Tinubu, as a Yoruba man, should know better. Our people come from a region that values the welfare and dignity of every individual. But what we see now is a leader who is disconnected from reality and obsessed with consolidating personal power and wealth at the expense of the people,” Princess Balogun stated.

The Union called on Yoruba sons and daughters, both at home and abroad, to rise in defense of the suffering masses and speak out against what it described as the “modern-day enslavement” of Nigerians through “senseless and exploitative taxation.”

It urged traditional leaders, civil society groups, and faith-based organisations to unite in demanding a reversal of policies that have impoverished millions.

“The welfare and well-being of our people must remain paramount. We cannot continue to keep silent while our people are crushed under the weight of oppressive taxes and anti-people governance. It is time for all well-meaning Nigerians, especially those who still hold the Omoluabi values dear, to stand up and demand justice, equity, and good governance,” the Union said.

Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá added that unless urgent steps are taken to address the worsening economic situation, Nigeria risks sliding into a humanitarian crisis, with hunger, unemployment, and insecurity spiraling beyond control.