Nigerians on Tuesday blasted President Bola Tinubu‘s Special Adviser on Economic Affairs, Dr. Tope Fasua over his insistence that $1, equivalent to over N1,500, can still buy a meal in Nigeria unlike in the United States.
In an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, Fasua who is attached to the Vice- President’s office, stated that while he is not denying the existence of poverty in the country, 1,500 Naira (around $1) can still feed a person in certain parts of Nigeria.
He said, “As against those that have been misquoting and sensationalizing, nobody is saying that there’s no poverty in Nigeria. In fact, luckily for me, I got people sending videos from Lagos to Maiduguri, saying that they actually ate for N1,500 yesterday”.
“If you’re earning minimum wage and you’re struggling in life, you know, you have to make choices like that.”
“I was somewhere in Lekki yesterday, precisely Black Bell. I saw that someone could eat for N2,500. N2,500, even in Lekki Phase 1. I mean, I didn’t know where to go. Someone just took me there because I had another interview,” he said.
Fasua later shared a video on his Facebook profile of a woman selling food in a slum and titled it ‘Another man eats for 1k’.
Commenting on the video, Ojomo Folorunsho wrote “Let’s assume u are using #1,000 to eat per square meal a day and u are eating twice a day. #1,000 × 2 = #2,000 per day. #2,000 × 30 = #60,000. It means on food only u are spending #60,000 per month, minimum wage is #70,000. #70,000 – #60,000 = #10,000 which means u have #10,000 left. Will u be trekking to office to and fro?. How about other expenses?”.
Ogunbode Dare Abiodun wrote “Oga you are losing it, continue to defend nonsense, minimum wages is 70k eating 3 square meal with 1k is 90k a month, that only for one person, assume the person has children and wife will 1k food sustain them?” .
Messiah Abaka John wrote “Then he needs 90,000 to eat 3 times daily in a month. Minimum wage is 70k. Oga, please go and rest”.
Also commenting on Fasua’s post, Ojochenemi Juliet wrote “You should be ashamed of yourself posting pictures to prove that people can eat one square meal for 1000 naira. Your conversation is not even intelligent from what I saw on the screen. Tell me how many people can afford to spend even 1000 on a meal in Nigeria right now.”
Petrus Dikeocha wrote “Mr.Tope, please stop doing this. Do not support evil simply because you are feeding or surviving from that source. I believe by virtue of your appointment,you are hired to assist Mr.President to get things done right. Not support him even when he is making a blonder. We stood side by side with you in 2019. What happened to the ANRP dream of a new Nigeria for the youth? Please stop. Most of your posts are different from whom I have known you to be. There is life after this appointment. Let us do what posterity will be proud of. Tell Mr. President the bitter truth he needs to know. Mr.Tope Fasua,please be different. You may as well block me here on Facebook like you did on WhatsApp. Only the truth shall set us free. Peace!!”.
Folake Olaoye wrote “This is defending poverty. That food cannot fill a grown man, no noticeable protein. One should even be ashamed that this is how people eat in their Country. Workers and not beggars, no fruits etc. Most road side food vendors don’t use fresh pepper to cook, they go for rotten tomatoes and peppers and use colouring tomato paste to make the food look okay. Empathy should not allow one to post this, let alone brag about this. What went wrong?”.
