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You Say Rice Costs ₦30,000 — Then You Sell It for ₦80,000 & Still Withdraw Kids From School, Says Obun

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Former lawmaker and policy analyst Honourable Cletus Obun recently didn’t pull any punches in a video interview shared by Trust Television. He sharply criticised Nigeria’s leadership for a pattern of hypocrisy when it comes to economic management.

According to him:

“You expect the price of rice to be ₦30,000, then you go and sell it for ₦80,000 and still withdraw your children from school.”

Obun used this comparison to expose what he sees as waste, mismanagement, and a lack of forward-planning in governance.

What Obun Is Really Saying

  • Priced cheap in theory, expensive in practice: Leaders talk big about affordable essentials like rice, but then allow or even encourage prices to be wildly inflated.
  • Mismatched priorities: Despite higher prices for basic goods, leaders still treat public welfare like an afterthought even pulling kids out of school instead of investing or planning ahead.
  • No reserves or safety nets: Obun argues that when revenues or resources are good, there’s little effort to save, diversify the economy, or build sustainable systems. Then when things go bad, citizens suffer.

Why This Hits Home for Many Nigerians

  • Inflation is real. Basic foodstuffs like rice are costing way above what many households budget for.
  • Education costs are rising too. When families see soaring food prices but no relief, tough decisions follow including withdrawing children from school.
  • Trust in leadership erodes when rhetoric doesn’t match action when “we’ll make things better” becomes “things are worse.”

What Obun Thinks Needs Fixing

  1. Courageous leadership: leaders must do more than hold office; they should plan and act with responsibility and vision.
  2. Economic discipline: don’t just spend when there’s money; invest, save, build for the future.
  3. Diversification of revenue: relying on one or two sectors makes the economy fragile. More sources lessen shock when one fails.
  4. Accountability and transparency: officials should answer for price hikes, for wasteful expenditures, for policy failures.

What Should You, the Citizen, Do?

  • Hold your leaders accountable. Demand explanations when essentials like rice become unaffordable.
  • Engage in community dialogues. Public pressure can force change.
  • Support policies that require transparency in how public funds are used.
  • Vote for leaders who show long-term vision, not just populist promises.

Final Thoughts

Obun’s message is clear: there can’t be hypocrisy in leadership. If we expect low prices, government must enforce or set policies that make that possible. If education matters, then don’t make it a casualty of poor policy. We deserve better.

Share your thoughts in the comments! Do you believe leaders are truly to blame? Or are other forces at play?

FAQs (People Also Ask)

1. Who is Cletus Obun?
Cletus Obun is a former lawmaker and a public policy analyst. He often speaks on issues of governance, corruption, and economic policy in Nigeria.

2. What was the main complaint Obun made?
His central complaint was that essentials like rice are expected to cost one amount (₦30,000), but people end up paying much more (₦80,000), and at the same time, important things like children’s education are neglected.

3. What does Obun say leadership should do differently?
Obun says leaders should plan for the long term, diversify the economy, invest surplus funds, focus on accountability, and prioritize citizen welfare above short-term political gains.

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