By Peter Adelowo
At a time when many Nigerians are grappling with harsh economic realities, former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has thrown a bold challenge to the nation’s political class saying Nigeria has no business being poor.
Speaking at the unveiling of “The Hidden Treasures,” a new book by development advocate Deacon Chris Iyowaye, Adebayo argued that the country’s poverty crisis is a direct consequence of leadership failure, not lack of resources.
Adebayo stated that Nigeria sits on vast layers of underutilized human and natural resources, describing every part of the country as a potential economic hub waiting to be unlocked.
“Every square inch of this country contains treasure—human, mineral, solid, liquid, surface and subterranean. It is impossible for a nation with this level of endowment to be poor,” he said.
He criticised political leaders for what he termed “blindness” to opportunities, warning that the world is already taking advantage of resources Nigerians fail to recognize at home.
Highlighting the Niger Delta, Adebayo noted that the region remains central to Nigeria’s global economic influence, with its oil wealth sustaining the federation for decades.
He insisted that gratitude and development must flow back to the area that has fed the nation.
“The Niger Delta carries resources many nations can only dream of. For over a hundred years, the world has made fortunes from that region,” he said.
For author Chris Iyowaye, the book is more than a literary work—it is a call for Nigeria to prepare for a future beyond oil.
“Based on almost 20 years of research, The Hidden Treasures argues that the Niger Delta holds value far beyond hydrocarbons.
Iyowaye notes that as the world moves away from fossil fuels, Nigeria must leverage its huge critical minerals deposits, marine wealth, agriculture and human capital.
“The tragedy is not the absence of wealth, but our failure to develop it,” he said.
Iyowaye also announced that proceeds from the book will fund programmes under the New Crete Oil Foundation, targeting:
He said the initiative is his contribution to shaping a sustainable future for the Niger Delta.
Adebayo concluded that Nigeria’s progress depends on citizens and leaders embracing unity, vision and responsibility.
He argued that the country’s most valuable wealth lies not only beneath the ground but within its people.
“Our true treasure is faith in ourselves and in one another,” he said.
