Government Should Be Judged by Citizens’ Welfare, Not GDP” — Cardinal Onaiyekan Speaks on Nigeria’s Challenges
Catholic cleric, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has emphasized that the true measure of a government’s success should be the well-being of its citizens rather than economic statistics.
Speaking on national development, he argued that indicators such as GDP figures or reports from global institutions do not fully reflect the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.
In his words, he said
“If we admit that the role of government is the welfare of citizens, then we are not going to judge success based on GDP or World Bank statistics. The important thing is: how is the life of the Nigerian?”Many of our young people who have struggled to finish university are going around with their degrees but cannot get jobs. They can’t think of marriage, starting a family, or planning their lives. That is terrible,”The only thing it takes is political will—to do the right thing, to be honest in governance, to be just and fair to everyone.”
