Pastor Tunde Bakare criticized Nigerian politicians for living lavishly while demanding sacrifices from ordinary citizens.
He made these remarks at the 2024 Wilson and Yinka Badejo Memorial Lecture in Lagos. Bakare, who ran for the APC presidential ticket before the 2023 elections, emphasized the importance of dialogue over confrontation in addressing the country’s current challenges, particularly in light of the recent hunger protests.
He stated, “All parties must approach the dialogue table with open minds, effective communication and empathy. Open and honest communication helps to establish transparency, making intentions and actions clear.
“When leaders communicate transparently, they demonstrate that they have nothing to hide, and that builds trust.
“Empathy is a bedrock of dialogue. It requires us to see beyond our own perspective and seek to comprehend the experiences of others. The ability to feel with others, to share in their joys and sorrows.
“It also means sitting where the people sit, as in the book of Ezekiel – feeling their pains and sharing their burdens. An empathetic leader does not feed fat while asking the people to tighten their belts. Nigerian political leaders have mostly not demonstrated empathy. Otherwise, how do you live so large while your people are ravished in (penury)?”
He further noted that hunger does not discriminate based on religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation.
