The Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has expressed his dismay over being targeted with curses directed at him and his family due to the proposed tax reform bills. Oyedele, who has been at the forefront of the tax reform discussions, stated that despite the intense backlash, he remains resolute and undeterred, acknowledging that public service often brings not only praise but also criticism. He stressed that he does not take the curses personally, and instead, he chooses to look for constructive feedback that can be used to improve the process.
In his remarks, Oyedele emphasized that public service is about accountability, and it is not always about receiving accolades. He noted that his team’s efforts in formulating the tax reform bills were not influenced by external parties but were the result of comprehensive discussions and debates within the committee, which was made up of a diverse group of experts from all regions of Nigeria. He further explained that while some individuals might be upset about the proposals, the tax reforms were carefully thought out and crafted with the country's best interests in mind.
He acknowledged that social media has been a platform where many Nigerians have expressed their discontent with the proposed reforms. Despite the barrage of negative comments and curses, he remarked that he does not take the insults personally. He mentioned, “Even on social media, you need to see the number of people cursing me and my family. I don’t take it personally. I just go through and say is there any useful comment that we can work on? We pick it and we work on it. It’s public service. You’re not meant to be appreciated and praised every time. It doesn’t happen anywhere in the world.”
Oyedele explained that the tax reform bills are a product of extensive consultation, involving more than 20 government institutions, stakeholders from various sectors, and members of different geopolitical zones of Nigeria. He also assured that despite the resistance, the team is open to continuous engagement with the public. “We have people from all the geo-political zones. We have more than 20 government institutions. We have all manner of engagement, including with people with disabilities. But we know that engagements will never end,” he stated.
The Chairman further emphasized that the reforms were made with no external influence. He said, “There’s not a single person in the world, not World Bank, not IMF, not United Nations, not Mr President, not any governor, not any minister, past or present, no one dictated anything to us. Every single thing you see in all those bills were the outcome of debates by the committee that is representative nationally.”
He concluded by assuring Nigerians that the committee would continue to consider feedback and refine the proposed bills. “So, I’m eagerly looking forward to the outcome of this event today and I can give you one assurance. Every single point you send to us will be carefully considered and we’ll get back to you with our own explanations. So once we have superior reasoning and superior arguments, we bow to it very quickly because we have no agenda other than the agenda for Nigeria.”
