TheCable

Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff (CoS) to the president, says Nigerians will forget the pains of the economic hardship when they start enjoying the benefits of the reforms by the current administration.

Gbajabiamila spoke on Sunday at the end of the brief ceremony to mark Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary held in Abuja.

He said the benefits of President Bola Tinubu’s intervention would not be experienced immediately but in a “short term”.

He said the N25,000 interim pay increase for workers and the buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives by the president would address the immediate welfare and transportation needs of Nigerians.

“He (President Bola Tinubu) is a man who feels with his heart and sees the pain. And so, all these measures that he’s putting in place, measures that we may not be able to reap the benefits immediately,” Gbajabiamila said.

“But in the short term, we will see some of the benefits.”

Commenting on the president’s independence speech, he said Nigeria is not the only country faced with economic challenges.

He likened the economic situation in the country to the condition of a pregnant woman undergoing “necessary pains” during childbirth, adding that Nigerians would find relief in the end.

“Right now, we’re going through pains, necessary pains, I must say, almost like childbirth. Women go through necessary pains when they carry a nine-month pregnancy,” he added.

“But at the end of the day, the joy that awaits you after nine months is unquantifiable. And that’s exactly the way I want us to see it as Nigerians.

“The government has put so many things in place; you heard the President’s broadcast today. It was an encouraging one. It was empathic; the President made it very clear that he is a man with a heart.

“Undoubtedly, in any country, there’ll be challenges and we’re part of that community of nations. So, we have our challenges. But we are very resilient people.

“We saw what was on display today. We showcased the unity of Nigeria, from the cultural groups to the military parade and the people who sang for us.

“We saw Igbos, Hausas and Yorubas amongst the military parade, all coming together as one. And it’s that spirit I want to encourage Nigerians to continue to imbibe.”