Hafsat Abiola-Costello, daughter of the late Moshood Abiola, has expressed concern over the poverty level in Nigeria.
She spoke at the Lagos State Democracy Day Youth Webinar monitored by our correspondent on Friday.
She lamented that the poverty that her father campaigned to fight against has become one of Nigeria’s greatest challenge.
Abiola-Costello, “I feel deeply honored. My family feels deeply honored. I’ve been receiving emails and messages saying Happy Democracy. At the same time, I’m concerned about the direction of the country.
“June 12 was meant to address poverty in Nigeria. But we still have more poverty in Nigeria and even more people in poverty in Nigeria. This is what my father campaigned to fight against and it is still there after his death, I am concerned.
“My father was a pan-Africanist engaging in national issues. We need to return to that. So that we can have inclusive growth.”
She urged the government to put a workable economic system in place, urging leaders in the country to shun ideas that have been “invalidated globally”.
“Nigeria exists within a larger continental and global economic contest. We need to challenge the ideas that have been invalidated globally.
“My message to the Nigerian young people is not to lose faith. The whole continent is looking to Nigeria for leadership. We have that self-confidence and need to exercise that leadership responsibly,” she said.
