Oluwo of Iwo in Osun, Oba Abdur-Rasheed Akanbi, has advocated capital punishment for corrupt leaders in the country.

Mr Akanbi, while speaking with journalists in his palace on Thursday in Iwo, said with such capital punishment, corruption would be reduced to the barest minimum in Nigeria.

The traditional ruler, who noted that Nigeria was blessed with both human and material resources, decried the suffering experienced by Nigerians amid plenty due to corruption.

“What we can do now to nip corruption and kidnapping in the bud in the country is by introducing capital punishment, as it was done by the governments of Saudi Arabia and China.

“When capital punishment is put in place and implemented, people will be afraid of looting our commonwealth. I believe that is the way to go,” he said.

On the economic challenges currently confronting the country, the traditional ruler expressed the regret that governors and lawmakers were not utilising the gains of subsidy removal to benefit the masses.

The Oluwo of Iwo added, “Money cannot get to Nigerians except through their governors, senators, house of representatives members and others. Revenues going to states now are unprecedented in the history of this country.

“Money accruing to the federal government after the fuel subsidy removal is being shared by all tiers of governments in Nigeria. The questions now are: Why are people becoming poorer? Why are Nigerians still hungry?”

Mr Akanbi suggested that there should be a meeting at the federal level where questions will be asked about how resources going to all the tiers of government are utilised.

“A particular state in the South-South zone was said to have received over N437 billion between the time when fuel subsidy was removed and now, and yet, people are still hungry.

“All the elected and appointed political office holders are getting money, and yet, people are hungry,” he stated.

According to Mr Akanbi, the country’s current economic challenges are temporary.

He also said the federal government’s steps to fix the economy were in the right direction.

The Iwo monarch, however, urged Nigerians to offer the needed support to one another to cushion the effects of the present economic hardship in the country.

(NAN)