Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has expressed concern over the number of Nigerians who remain trapped in poverty despite working hard to improve their lives.
Makinde said millions of Nigerians continue to struggle with poverty, insecurity and limited opportunities, arguing that the country’s challenges go beyond the individuals occupying public offices.
The governor made the remarks in his latest newsletter, where he reflected on Nigeria’s development challenges and the need to address the systems that continue to produce poor outcomes for citizens.
Makinde noted that Nigeria had witnessed changes in government, new policies and repeated promises of a fresh start over the years, but said many Nigerians had yet to experience significant improvements in their living conditions.
“Over the years, we have changed governments, introduced new policies, and promised ourselves new starts. Yet, for millions of Nigerians, the basic results have stayed mostly the same,” Makinde said.
According to the governor, many Nigerian families work hard but continue to struggle to achieve meaningful economic progress.
He also expressed concern about the situation of young Nigerians, particularly those who find it difficult to transition from education into better employment and economic opportunities.
“Too many young people in Nigeria can’t see a clear way to go from school to better chances in life,” he said.
Makinde further identified insecurity as another major challenge affecting Nigerians, saying many people continue to struggle because they do not feel sufficiently safe.
He also criticised the poor performance of some institutions and organisations established to provide support and services to citizens.
“People are still struggling because of insecurity, and many organizations meant to help them are not working properly,” he said.
The governor argued that Nigeria’s challenges should not be viewed solely through the performance of individual political leaders.
He said the persistent problems facing the country point to weaknesses in the systems, rules and structures through which governance and economic opportunities are delivered.
“This shows that Nigeria’s problem is larger than just the people holding government positions at any given moment,” Makinde said.
He called for deeper attention to the structures that continue to produce outcomes that leave many Nigerians behind.
“We need to look at the systems, rules, and ways things are set up that keep on creating results that don’t help most of our people,” he added.
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