The Apena of Egbaland and Oluwo of Iporo-Ake, Chief Alani Bankole, has said Nigeria has enough economic opportunities for hardworking citizens to make a living, arguing that people who remain hungry are often unwilling to work.
Bankole made the remarks on Wednesday during a media interaction, where he expressed concern over what he described as the declining culture of hard work among Nigerian youths.
The 85-year-old traditional ruler attributed part of the problem to parents and the wider system, accusing some parents of pampering their children instead of teaching them productive skills and the value of hard work.
“There are too many opportunities in Nigeria for us not to be hungry. Most people who are hungry today are lazy people,” he said.
Bankole also referenced the Bible, saying it makes clear that those unwilling to work should not expect to eat.
He advocated exposing children to productive activities from an early age, recalling that young people of his generation often combined formal education with practical work.
According to him, parents should focus on teaching their children how to create wealth rather than simply providing money for them.
“Teach people how to make money, don’t give them money. Salary jobs are only meant to eat. When you learn how to create wealth, you become rich,” he said.
The Egba chief, however, acknowledged that Nigeria’s political and economic system also contributes significantly to the country’s challenges.
He argued that the system inherited from the British has remained defective and has been used by successive generations to oppress and suppress others.
“The system has encouraged a lot of nonsense. The system is responsible for our everyday calamity. Is it Tinubu that will go and farm for you?” he queried.
Bankole further criticised aspects of Nigeria’s political structure, particularly the practice of requiring elected leaders to appoint aides and officials based on geographical representation rather than merit.
He argued that such arrangements can make it difficult for a president or governor to assemble the most qualified team to manage government affairs.
The traditional ruler, who is the father of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, called for a broader national conversation on the structures governing Nigeria.
He said changing political administrations alone may not bring fundamental transformation if the underlying institutions and systems remain unchanged.
The former National Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, also maintained that the quality of governance is influenced by the structures and resources available to political leaders.
“You can only give what you have,” he said, stressing the importance of institutional development and human capacity in addition to political leadership.
Asked to offer advice to politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections, Bankole said he had withdrawn from the style of politics currently being practised in Nigeria.
“No, I can’t advise them because I’m not used to this type of politics,” he said.
Bankole recalled that during his active political years, he focused his campaigns on rural and border communities rather than limiting political engagement to urban centres.
He said the approach to politics today differs significantly from what he experienced in his generation, adding that he could therefore not readily advise politicians operating under the current political system.
