‘Our people are not eating statistics’: More backlash for Onanuga over claims on living standards

Veteran journalist and presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga, has come under fresh fire following his rebuttal of African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina’s comments on Nigeria’s economic decline.

In a passionate reaction that has garnered attention online, Facebook user Oluwanade Johnson Abiodun acknowledged Onanuga’s past heroism as a bold journalist who stood up to military regimes, but questioned his current defense of the state of the nation under President Bola Tinubu.

Onanuga had earlier dismissed Adesina’s assertion that Nigerians are worse off now than they were in 1960, challenging the economist’s use of GDP per capita and presenting alternate statistics to argue otherwise. But Abiodun, in his response, warned that Nigerians “cannot eat statistics” and urged Onanuga to engage more constructively with public criticism, especially given his role in government.

“You are one of the boldest journalists the country has ever produced… You fought the military to a standstill through your journalistic brilliance and courage. We salute you for this,” Abiodun wrote, referring to Onanuga’s refusal to apologize to the Babangida regime during his days at African Concord, which led to the founding of the fierce anti-military magazine, The News.

However, Abiodun added that Onanuga’s current defense of government policies appears out of touch with the reality of Nigerians battling daily economic hardship.

“Can you compare the standard of living now to that of 2000, not to talk of 1960? People are hungry, the standard of living is going down every day, and that is the concern of everyone, including Dr. Akinwumi Adesina,” he wrote.

He acknowledged that Tinubu inherited a troubled economy but stressed that this should not excuse glossing over valid criticisms. “It is not everything that has to be defended when the situation is crystal clear to virtually everyone,” he added.

While noting slight improvements in the energy sector and food availability, Abiodun called for more “life-impacting” changes that would directly uplift Nigerians. “Let the socio-economic status of people be better… let the president hear this loud and clear. Nothing else, nothing less!”

The exchange underline growing public frustration over attempts to rationalize economic hardship using statistical data, with many Nigerians calling for leadership that reflects empathy and delivers tangible improvements to everyday life.