Renowned Nigerian comedian, Basketmouth, has expressed his frustration with Nigeria’s economic state and leadership, citing rising inflation and the naira’s depreciation. In an interview with African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA), Basketmouth highlighted the alarming currency fluctuation.
“In 1970, the year I was born, it was one naira to a dollar, and this year it’s one dollar to 1,600 naira,” he said, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
“There was never a time from that time to date that the dollar crashed and went back to what it was and stayed there. It has never happened; think about it.”
Basketmouth also criticized the popular Nigerian phrase “E go better” (It will get better), questioning the lack of concrete policies and action. “Every time it changes, all the conversations you’d be hearing is ‘E go better, E go better.’ It’s getting worse, bro. What are the policies? And what have they done?” He cited the recent increase in passport fees as an example: “Now 100 pages for a passport is 100,000 naira; they just increased it.”
The comedian speculated that the government might be orchestrating economic challenges to encourage emigration. “I suspect that our government planned this thing to make the Nigerian population suffer… So that when they suffer, they can now want to japa, then they will increase the price of the passport and they’d make money,” he said.
With sarcasm, Basketmouth added: “It’s not like I’ve given up hope; I’m hopeful. Maybe one day, the country will be better. Let’s all believe in that pipe dream. It’s done, it’s over.” His comments reflect growing concerns among Nigerians about the country’s economic struggles and the impact on everyday lives.
The economic hardship has led to increased calls for accountability and effective leadership. Many Nigerians are seeking tangible solutions to address the country’s challenges, rather than relying on hopeful phrases like “E go better.” Basketmouth’s comments have sparked a wider conversation about Nigeria’s economic future and the role of leadership in addressing its challenges.
