Nollywood actor Kunle Remi has added his voice to growing concerns over Nigeria’s escalating fuel prices and worsening economic conditions, calling the notion of “staying out of politics” the “most stupid statement” anyone can make in the current situation.
In a video shared on his Instagram page on Wednesday, Remi lamented the rising cost of petrol and the persistent lack of electricity, saying the situation has left him “mentally stressed.”
“I don’t even know how to begin this conversation. Usually, I say things like, I don’t get involved in politics. I don’t talk about politics.
In fact, the country, the industry, a couple of things, make you, they’ll tell you don’t discuss religion or politics or something, and so you fall into that category where you say I don’t like to talk politics.
“No, that’s the most stupid statement from anybody in Nigeria right now. We should be discussing. We should be talking about it.
We should be trying to fix. We should be inquiring about what is happening in the nation.
There’s nothing like sitting on the fence. Now it doesn’t make any sense,” he stated.
Remi explained that his concern goes beyond himself, as he is responsible for a child and his family. Highlighting his recent expenses, he said, “Today, I bought fuel, petrol.
I bought petrol for one thousand three hundred and something thousand naira. We don’t have light.
We’ve been running the generator back to back. I live on the island, so there’s no special treatment. We’ve been running the generator back to back.”
He also voiced concern for businesses struggling under the pressure of rising diesel and petrol costs, noting that his employees are facing challenges commuting to work as transport fares have eaten into their salaries.
“So I can imagine diesel, most of all the malls and companies down to the smallest barber shop run on petrol or diesel,” Remi said.
“I’m blown away because I’m mentally stressed, and I can’t even lie. So you don’t have light. Diesel is expensive. Fuel is expensive.
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A couple of my staff are letting me understand that to even come to work now is a problem because the transport is hiking, meaning that their salary is not even enough anymore in a very short period.”
Remi further questioned why an oil-producing country like Nigeria is among the first to be affected by the conflict in Iran.
“I don’t understand why Nigeria is one of the first countries to be affected by the war in Iran.
A blessed nation, a country that is a resourceful nation, is complaining about fuel price because we are dependent on one refinery, and even the refineries never got the full support of the government, and then the nation has different refineries that don’t function. I don’t understand,” he said.
Remi’s comments echo similar frustrations expressed by fellow actor Wale Akorede, popularly known as Okunnu, who recently questioned why Nigeria, despite being an oil-producing nation, continues to grapple with exorbitant fuel costs.