Since Nigeria has been enmeshed in economic hardship that started after the removal of fuel subsidy last year, Primate Elijah Ayodele, a Nigerian prophet, has been practically taking several measures to alleviate Nigerians from penury through different philanthropic activities.
Long before fuel subsidy was removed, Primate Ayodele has always dedicated the first Sunday of every month for ‘food service’, a service where everyone would go home with packs of food items like Rice, Beans, Garri, crates of eggs, tubers of yam, and a token.
Immediately fuel subsidy was removed, Primate Ayodele doubled his effort by making food service almost every Sunday. He understood the effect of the fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians and as an influential personality in the country, he effectively played the role of a succor provider for the people.
As time went on, the federal government announced that it will release some funds for palliatives in order to reduce the impact of fuel subsidy removal which has turned out to become a full blown economic hardship. When the government came up with this idea, Primate Ayodele knocked down the idea and said it would be another means to embezzle funds because it won’t get to the right people.
These were his words; “The N8,000 palliative is corruption, I see nothing in the palliative and it will not reach out to the poor masses. Despite the fact that Mr President has signed it, it will not make any impact. The governors will use it for their selfish needs. The poor will not enjoy it at all.’’
“It will not be a blessing to the majority, the palliative is just a waste of time and energy, it cannot work for its purpose.”
Ever since, Primate Ayodele proposed in his heart to teach the government how to effectively organize a palliative that will impact the people directly. Instead of merely talking, Primate Ayodele went ahead to organize a ‘palliative market’ where he sold food items for ridiculous prices.
The idea behind this palliative market was to purchase items at the exorbitant prices they are being sold for and sell to the people at cheap prices. The first edition which was held in November 2023 saw a bag of rice sold for less than N5,000. There were other items like beans, indomie, tubers of yam, garri, groceries, turkey, groundut oil sold for very ridiculous prices and this wasn’t opened to church members alone, people from distant places benefited from this initiative.
As if that wasn’t enough, again on Wednesday,14th Of February 2024 to celebrate his annual thanksgiving programme, Primate Ayodele held another edition of palliative market and sold a full bag of rice for N20,000. There were also different food items bought at exorbitant prices by the man of God and sold to the people at cheap prices.
While speaking at the palliative market, Primate Ayodele called on state governors to replicate the same palliative market initiative in their various states because of the economic hardship in the country. He explained that affordability of food will go a long way in reducing the impact of the hardship on citizens.
In response to Primate Ayodele’s actions and calls, it appears Lagos state government has keyed into the palliative market initiative with the announcement of Governor Babajide Sanwoolu on Thursday morning during a live interview session.
Given the rising cost of food and other staples, Mr Sanwo-Olu expressed the state government’s resolve to open more markets where residents can buy food items at discounted rates.
Specifically, the governor disclosed that plans have been concluded to open Sunday Markets in at least 42 identified markets across the state where residents will be able to buy food items at discounted price. “You will only be able to buy items worth up to N25,000,”
This is no doubt a welcome development and it vividly shows that state governments are now interested in doing the right thing for the benefit of the people. If other state governments follow suit, the impact of economic hardship would be reduced to its barest minimum.
