Primate Ayodele, who previously warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could lead Nigeria into deeper crisis, stated months ago that alleviating hardship in Nigeria requires subsidizing food prices. To demonstrate a practical solution, the prophet introduced a palliative market initiative that significantly reduced food prices. Primate Ayodele has organized five such events across Lagos, Ogun, and Ekiti states to support the government and prove that his recommendations are feasible.
At various editions of the Palliative Markets, Primate Ayodele offered food items at remarkably low prices, including bags of rice and beans for N10,000 each, cartons of noodles for N1,000, liters of groundnut oil for N2,000, as well as bags of garri, crates of eggs, and tubers of yam at similarly reduced rates.
During his advisory period to the government, which included demonstrations, the President Tinubu-led administration made some decisions that Primate Ayodele criticized. One such decision was the introduction of an N8,000 cash transfer to vulnerable Nigerians announced in 2023. The initiative was quickly scrapped after strong opposition from figures like Primate Ayodele, who argued that it would exacerbate corruption and fail to positively impact the economy.
Primate Ayodele criticized the N8,000 palliative, labeling it as corrupt and ineffective. He argued that it would not reach the impoverished masses and would instead be misused by governors for personal gain. Despite its approval by the president, Ayodele believed it would have no real impact on the poor. In contrast, Ayodele advocated for increasing the minimum wage, suggesting that a rise to N100,000 would be far more beneficial. He argued that this increase would effectively address the challenges of subsidy removal and inflation, providing tangible relief to the people compared to the inadequate N8,000 palliative.