When Senate President Godswill Akpabio told Nigerians that “poverty is not a crime” and even went so far as to say “poverty can be a virtue,” he may have thought he was making a philosophical point. Instead, what he did was expose just how disconnected he is from the daily suffering of millions of Nigerians. In the same breath, he referenced Pope Francis—who recently passed away—as an example of someone who embraced simplicity and humility. But let’s be clear: Pope Francis chose a life of service and modesty; Nigerians are not choosing poverty—they’re trapped in it.
There’s a big difference between living simply by choice and being forced to endure hardship because your leaders have failed you. The average Nigerian isn’t struggling because they think it’s virtuous. They’re struggling because food prices have tripled, salaries haven’t moved, schools are crumbling, and the healthcare system barely functions. These are not moral lessons in endurance. These are systemic failures, and it’s offensive to spin them as some kind of spiritual gift.
The comment isn’t just tone-deaf—it’s dangerous. It sends a message that the suffering of Nigerians is acceptable, maybe even noble, instead of a call for action and reform. Poverty is not a badge of honor. It’s a wound that leadership is supposed to heal, not celebrate. What Nigerians need is policy, not poetry.
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