Elder statesman and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola, has faulted the monopoly of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited in the sale of petrol from the Dangote refinery.

Babalola, who expressed dissatisfaction with the hikes of petroleum prices, especially the recent one by NNPC, appealed to the governments through their policies and actions ?not to turn Nigerians to beggars. There was no begging, no thieves in this country in those days?.

The elder statesman spoke in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Saturday shortly after he received the ?Outstanding Achiever of All Times Award? from a diaspora group, Ekiti Kete Coalition United States of America.

The diaspora group, led by its president, Joe Olugbamila, also on the occasion, honoured the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, with the ?Outstanding Political Icon Award? for his stable role in the polity.

Babalola called on the businessman, Aliko Dangote, to sell his petrol directly to Nigerians at his own rate, saying, ?Free trade is the best thing for any society. If Dangote can go all out to spend his money to borrow money to put up a huge refinery, why is it that NNPCL is asking him to sell it for onward sale to us?

?Let all those who can afford to put up refineries do so and sell to people. The prices of fuel will come down. There should be no monopoly on NNPC dictating prices. Let Dangote sell his fuel at his own rate. You will be surprised others will bring the price down,? he said.

The ABUAD chancellor, who said there was no reason Nigerians should be put through excruciating experiences, called on the government to do what is needed to make life worth living for Nigerians.

?There is no country that is as blessed as Nigeria. There is no reason why Nigeria must not succeed as a country. There is a need for a change of mindset. I decided to establish ABUAD as a place where we will change the mindsets of people and breed a new set of Nigerians,? he added.

Babalola thanked the diaspora group for the honour, saying, ?I do not know why it will take those living in America to appreciate me when people here do not appreciate me.

?The lesson is that the more you appreciate what others do, the better for us, the better for the whole country. I thank them for coming all the way to teach people here the lesson in appreciation which Jesus Christ taught many centuries back with the account of the thankful leper among 10 lepers?.

In his remarks, the Ekiti Kete Coalition USA Chairman, Olugbamila, who said the honour was based on the need to celebrate the heroes while alive, lauded Babalola for his role in the creation of Ekiti State and interventions towards the development of the state.

The group renewed the call on the Ekiti State Government to set apart a date as ?Afe Babalola Day? for the celebration of the man who it said had done so much for the state. (Sunday PUNCH)

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