“Woe to you shepherds who only take care of yourselves. Should not the shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curd, clothe yourselves with wool, and slaughter the chosen animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and they became food for wild animals.”
—Ezekiel 34:1-5
2024 was the year of the Renewed Hope Agenda, accompanied by numerous policy pronouncements and loud proclamations of fresh government intentions, though with little to show for actual attainments. Official narratives touted Nigeria’s imminent journey to Eldorado, while ardent supporters of the administration, whom a friend referred to as “BATists,” celebrated what they called “audacious reforms” and previously unimaginable achievements. Yet, for those who viewed the year through discerning eyes, 2024 revealed a grim juxtaposition: epicurean feasting among the elite and Biafra-level starvation among the masses.
Nothing underscored this dichotomy more starkly than the desperate and deadly scramble for rice in the closing days of the year. As Lasisi Olagunju aptly put it, Nigerians were “eating while looking for what to eat” (23/12/2024). The devil himself seemed tired of his usual pace of populating hell and instead descended live to expedite the process. This tragic quest for rice shattered the illusion that all was well in Nigeria, exposing the painful reality that basic survival had become a perilous endeavour.
A nation starved in a land of plenty
In the final days of 2024, Nigeria—a land metaphorically flowing with milk and honey—witnessed avoidable deaths as citizens struggled for momentary relief from hunger. In Ibadan, an event promising ₦5,000 and refreshments for 5,000 attendees drew nearly 10,000 people, some of whom camped overnight at the venue. Reports of participants travelling from neighbouring states were met with scepticism given the prohibitive cost of transportation. Meanwhile, in Abuja, ten individuals died in a rush for rice distributed by the Holy Trinity Catholic Church. In Okija, a similar tragedy claimed 21 lives as people jostled for rice traditionally distributed by Obijackson. Within 72 hours, approximately 70 Nigerians lost their lives in these incidents, casualties of hunger and desperation.
“This tragic quest for rice shattered the illusion that all was well in Nigeria, exposing the painful reality that basic survival had become a perilous endeavour.”
Some government apologists and observers blamed indiscipline, greed, or poor crowd control for these tragedies. Others cited poverty alleviation programs in countries like Canada as justification. However, the reality lies elsewhere. These deaths were a result of Nigeria’s dismal economic performance. Despite claims of a 3.5 percent GDP growth rate, the number of Nigerians living in abject poverty skyrocketed, driving desperation to unprecedented levels.
The growing desperation index
The situation underscored the growing chasm between the government’s rosy economic narrative and the lived experiences of ordinary Nigerians. People trampled others to death in their quest for a mere bag of rice, trudging forward even as lifeless bodies lay before them. These were preventable deaths in a nation endowed with abundant resources, but where leadership prioritises its indulgences over the well-being of its citizens.
As the elite feasted, the masses fasted—or, more accurately, starved. Former Governor Nyesom Wike’s infamous phrase, “As e dey sweet us, e dey pain them,” became a bitter anthem for a year in which hunger, poverty, and hopelessness defined daily life for most Nigerians.
The hike economy and its fallout
The year was characterised by what Atedo Peterside aptly termed the Hike Economy. The government, claiming to have inherited a dilapidated economy, pursued a policy of massive price hikes across the board—fuel, gas, food, transportation, and power—all of which drove inflation to levels unseen in three decades. It was as if the administration had embraced a deliberate strategy of mass impoverishment. For the political class, weaponising poverty became an attractive tactic, with votes being bought for as little as ₦5,000.
The consequences were stark. Hunger increased. Poverty deepened. Unemployment soared. The middle class all but vanished, with many sliding into destitution. Nigerians who had once been barely managing moved from “111 to 101,” a grim metaphor for their downward spiral.
Flaunting wealth amidst starvation
What made 2024 particularly galling was the blatant display of wealth by the ruling elite. This flaunting of epicurean indulgence in the face of widespread suffering was not only insensitive but cruel. As the masses starved, the political class revelled in luxury, mocking the people they were supposed to serve.
Eating someone’s mother is bad enough, but doing so in the presence of her grieving child is unforgivable. Similarly, the government’s extravagant feasting while Nigerians struggled for scraps was an affront to decency and humanity.
Conclusion
2024 will be remembered as a year when the gap between Nigeria’s cost of living and standard of living widened inexorably. It was a year of hollow reforms, unfulfilled promises, and a leadership disconnected from the realities of its people. While the government celebrated its so-called achievements, the majority of Nigerians mourned the loss of dignity, stability, and hope.
If there is one lesson to be drawn from this painful year, it is that leadership without empathy and vision is a recipe for national despair. The onus is now on Nigeria’s leaders to reverse this trend, prioritising the needs of the people over their own indulgences. Until then, the echoes of 2024’s suffering will continue to haunt the nation.
Ik Muo, PhD, Dept. of Business Admin, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. Contact: 08033026625
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