Food Stampedes Expose Disconnect Between Government and Citizens — Ezekwesili

• Oby Ezekwesili criticized the government’s response to recent stampedes, highlighting their detachment from the harsh realities faced by ordinary Nigerians
• She condemned the “self-righteous indignation” of officials towards relief efforts, urging them to show humility and empathy in addressing hunger

Former Education Minister and ex-World Bank Vice President Oby Ezekwesili has criticized the government’s response to recent tragic stampedes during food palliative distributions in Oyo, Anambra, and Abuja, which resulted in multiple fatalities.

Ezekwesili described the incidents as “unfortunate” and emblematic of the government’s detachment from the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.

Taking to her X handle on Friday, Ezekwesili highlighted the indifference of President Bola Tinubu and other public officials to the root causes of these tragedies, which she attributed to the unbearable hunger and hardship plaguing the nation.

In her post, Ezekwesili condemned the “self-righteous indignation” displayed by government officials toward individuals and organizations stepping in to provide relief:

“Is it that the well-fed of our society fail to see that it is the generosity and social safety net provided by individuals—here at home and abroad—and their organizations that have kept the poor of the Land going?”

She criticized government responses to the incidents, including statements by President Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police, and other officials, for being out of touch with the desperation faced by millions of Nigerians.

“These self-indulgent folks are cocooned away in luxury and blind to how desperate the times are for their fellow Nigerians who now embrace the risk of death to get a loaf of bread for themselves and their children,” she wrote.

Ezekwesili questioned how government officials have failed to address the leadership failures that have turned previously safe food charity events into tragic death traps.

“Unlike a few Nigerians who used to need handouts in the past, the majority now do. It is this massive increase that has placed inordinate pressure on the capacity of humanitarians,” she added.

She urged public officials to exhibit humility and empathy rather than targeting those trying to alleviate the suffering caused by systemic failures.

“I hope the courts will act in the spirit of jurisprudence and not mere legalism on benefactors being held in custody for ‘doing good that went wrong,’” Ezekwesili stated.

She concluded by praying for the families of the victims, saying, “May God continue to comfort the families of the victims of the food stampedes.”