The Vice-chairman of the Oyo Council of Obas and Chiefs, Oba Francis Olusola Alao, has expressed deep concern over the increasing involvement of religious leaders in material pursuits, accusing them of abandoning their spiritual duties in favour of wealth and influence.

Oba Alao, who is also the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, made this statement during a visit from the leadership of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Movement “Ayo Ni O,” led by Baba Aladura Prophet Emmanuel Abiodun Alogbo, at his palace in Surulere Local Government on Thursday.

The monarch accused some religious leaders of sharing part of the blame for the moral and political crises that have engulfed the nation. According to him, spiritual leaders, once seen as the moral compass of society, have become compromised by corruption, aligning themselves with the very forces they should condemn.

Oba Alao was unapologetic in his criticism, stating, “Ninety-five percent of Nigerian leaders, both political and religious, are spiritually compromised.”

He argued that this moral decay among clerics has made it impossible for them to hold political leaders accountable or speak the truth to those in power, as their integrity has been eroded by their pursuit of material wealth.

“Carnality has taken over spirituality. Our religious leaders can no longer speak the truth to those in authority because their minds have been corrupted. Most of the so-called General Overseers (G.O.) are corrupt and perverted,” Oba Alao added.

He stressed that this shift towards wealth accumulation at the expense of spiritual values has greatly contributed to the country’s stagnation in development and social justice.

Olugbon urged both religious leaders and traditional rulers to reflect on their actions, reminding them that they would be held accountable for their stewardship, both in this world and the next.

“The prayers of sinners are an abomination before God, hence the need for our leaders to rethink,” he warned.

The monarch concluded by reiterating the transient nature of power and the importance of staying true to sacred duties, regardless of the temptation to indulge in worldly gains. “I am a traditional ruler. I don’t belong, and will never belong, to any occultic groups,” he emphasised, drawing a clear line between his position and the corrupt practices of some leaders.

In response to the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Movement’s request for collaboration on community development projects, Oba Alao assured them of his support.

“Your requests are aimed at the development of the Orile Igbon community. I am assuring you that necessary assistance will be provided in this regard.”

Earlier, Prophet Alogbo requested the monarch’s collaboration on a range of community development projects. These initiatives include the establishment of a women and youth empowerment center, clean drinking water initiatives, a bakery, animal production facilities, and farm produce processing.

Other proposals included a diagnostic and medical center, a full-size recreational sports facility, and a home care facility for the elderly.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigeria’s unemployment rate increased to 5.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2024. The latest figures were disclosed in a report released by the NBS on Tuesday, marking an uptick from the 5.0 per cent recorded in the third quarter (Q3) of 2023.

According to the NBS, the unemployment rate for males stood at 4.3 per cent, while females experienced a higher rate of 6.2 per cent during the same period. The report also highlighted disparities based on location, with urban areas recording a 6.0 per cent unemployment rate compared to 4.3 per cent in rural areas for Q1 2024.

“The unemployment rate for Q1 2024 was 5.3%, showing an increase from 5.0% recorded in Q3 2023,” the bureau stated in its report. The NBS defines the unemployment rate as the percentage of the labour force, including both employed and unemployed individuals, who are not working but are actively seeking employment.

Youth Unemployment Rate Declines

In a positive development, the report indicated a slight drop in youth unemployment, which fell to 8.4 per cent in Q1 2024, down from 8.6 per cent in Q3 2023. This figure represents the unemployment rate among Nigeria’s young people, a demographic that often faces unique employment challenges.

Educational Attainment and Unemployment

The report further provided insights into unemployment rates based on educational attainment. Individuals with postgraduate education recorded the lowest unemployment rate at 2.0 per cent, while those with post-secondary education faced a rate of 9.0 per cent. For people with secondary education, the rate stood at 6.9 per cent, and those with only primary education recorded a 4.0 per cent unemployment rate.

Employment-to-Population Ratio Falls to 73.2%

In addition to the unemployment data, the NBS also reported a decline in Nigeria’s employment-to-population ratio, a critical indicator of workforce participation. The ratio dropped to 73.2 per cent in Q1 2024, down from 75.6 per cent in Q3 2023. This ratio represents the percentage of the working-age population that is employed.

Breaking the data down by gender, the employment-to-population ratio for males was 74.2 per cent, while it was 72.3 per cent for females. By place of residence, urban areas had an employment-to-population ratio of 69.5 per cent, while rural areas recorded 78.9 per cent in Q1 2024, compared to 71.1 per cent and 80.7 per cent in Q3 2023, respectively.

Over 31.8 million Nigerians are grappling with acute food insecurity, with malnutrition among women and children compounding the crisis, according to the 2024 Cadre Harmonise report.

The surge in food commodity prices, driven by the removal of fuel subsidies and ongoing security challenges, has plunged millions of Nigerians into a dire situation.

A statement released on Wednesday by Julie Osagie-Jacobs, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, highlighted that development partners including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), GIZ, and Agsys disclosed these findings at a joint review meeting on the implementation of food systems in Nigeria, held from August 26th to 27th, 2024.

The report indicates a sharp increase in the number of people experiencing acute food insecurity, up from 18.6 million identified as vulnerable between October and December 2023 by the U.N. World Food Programme.

“The surge in food commodity prices, which is a result of the removal of fuel subsidy in addition to security challenges, has placed millions of Nigerians in a precarious situation,” the ministry stated.

Stakeholders at the meeting advocated for a multi-sectoral approach to address food security challenges, emphasizing the need for collaboration among various sectors. They stressed that civil society organizations and the private sector must be involved to extend the reach of nutrition efforts. The partners also pledged their unwavering support to transform Nigeria’s food system.

The study, produced by development partners including the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, and the German development agency GIZ, utilized data from a nutrition analysis conducted by the Cadre Harmonise, a regional food security framework.

Sanjo Faniran, Nigeria’s national convener of Food Systems and director of social development in the budget and economic planning ministry, noted that the study helped to identify gaps, successes, and challenges, and offered recommendations.

This report comes amid soaring food inflation, which has exceeded 40 percent in the country. The crisis is a consequence of the removal of fuel subsidies by President Bola Tinubu, who took office in May 2023.

The president has stated that the removal was aimed at reducing government spending, a decision that has led to a rise in transportation costs, further exacerbating food prices.

Additionally, the persistent raids by bandits have forced many farmers to abandon their fields, contributing significantly to the increase in food prices. In response, the Nigeria Police Force announced last week that it had begun providing security for farmers in the Northern regions of the country to enable them to return to their farms as the harvest season approaches.

With food security challenges escalating, stakeholders are calling for immediate and coordinated actions to mitigate the impact on vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.