By Chesa Chesa
It is no surprise that the days of protests planned to show angst over economic challenges faced by many Nigerians have turned riotous. This is despite assurances by organisers that everything would be peaceful. History of such protests in Nigeria has proved the organisers wrong, just like government of the day predicted and warned against.
After seeing flags of foreign countries raised at protest grounds where calls for military coups were chanted, some of the organisers are beginning to distance themselves from the protests where criminals have taken advantage of the situation, and especially where Nigerian flags are being burnt and foreign leaders being begged to come and “save” Nigeria.
It is safe to hazard a guess that apart from the protests being hijacked by hoodlums, as widely feared and expressed by government and some prominent leaders of society, the extent of seeking unlawful change of government by way of a military coup d’etat was not even envisaged as it appeared to have taken many unawares.
How did it get to this? August 1, 2024, thousands of Nigerians took to the streets of major Nigerian cities in agitation over economic hardship and hunger. Organisers of the protest had given a warning notice to the government with several demands which included cuts in electricity, petrol pump and food prices, the introduction of free education, good governance, justice and constitutional reforms, transparency, accountability, and policies that prioritize the welfare of the people, and increase of the national minimum wage to N300,000 instead of the current N70,000, among other issues.
An obviously worried presidency rallied to prevent the protests, deploying well-meaning elders, religious, traditional and political leaders, some of who were also mobilized to hold townhall meetings in their respective constituencies in the States aimed at enlightening Nigerians on the several projects, programmes, and policies that the Renewed Hope government is implementing to make life better for the citizens.
There were numerous press interviews and press conferences organized by the Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris in which he featured senior government officials, including his colleagues, to speak on the developmental actions of the administration. But, all of these seemed inadequate to calm the agitation. As it has turned out, the protests eventually held, resulting unfortunately in killings and the destruction of properties in some States.
On Day 4 of the protests planned for 10 days, President Bola Tinubu finally spoke to the nation and the protesters. In a broadcast to the nation, the President declared emphatically that he had heard the cries of angry and hungry Nigerians protesting on the streets. It was a much anticipated response, as even many of the protest organisers had also specifically asked the President to talk to them via a press interview or national broadcast.
“I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens,” the President said in the broadcast. Of course, not everyone will agree that the President had said enough to assuage the rage on the streets. Nonetheless, now that the President has spoken, it remains an issue of whether Nigerians who have been on the streets demanding good governance, protection, security, and welfare would listen and heed the appeal of the nation‘s leader.
Aside from the President stressing how deeply pained he was by the loss of lives in some States as well as the destruction of public facilities, and the wanton looting of private businesses, which is contrary to earlier promises by the protest organisers, he pointedly expressed concerns about some elements who have taken undue advantage of the current situation to threaten sections of the country, a reason that should be of worry to any meaningful Nigerian irrespective of tribe, ethnicity, or region.
He was actually referring to some Yoruba persons who had in the wake of the protests, demanded that Igbos resident in Lagos and the Southwest should leave and “return home” even these persons called on their kinsmen to enforce the dangerous, hateful and ridiculous demand. To this, President Tinubu flatly declared: “To those who have taken undue advantage of this situation to threaten any section of this country, be warned: The law will catch up with you. There is no place for ethnic bigotry or such threats in the Nigeria we seek to build.”
Just after the President’s broadcast, some youths returned to the streets in a bizarre and brazen display of Russian flags as they called in soldiers to seize control and sack Tinubu’s government. This, along with threats by some Yoruba elements to Igbo residents, plus the deaths and huge losses of pubic and private property incurred during the protests, present disturbing scenarios that no responsible government will stand by and do nothing decisive.
The following day, President Tinubu summoned his security chiefs to a meeting after it was decided that such action by protesters would not be condoned. Emerging from the meeting, Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa, told State House correspondents that “we will not accept anyone pushing or taking any action, seemingly or for whatever reason to want to push for any change of government. Democracy is what we stand for, democracy is what will continue to defend.” Musa, who spoke as he was flanked by other security chiefs stressed that “we are warning in clear terms and the President has also said we should convey this, that we will not accept anybody, any individual flying any foreign flag in Nigeria. That is treasonable offence, and it will be viewed and treated as such.”
The inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, added to this a day after when he declared that “this is not a protest, but an offence of treason. They will be given appropriate charges. It is implicative to be seen with flags of other countries, an act of treason. We have blocked some accounts, some abroad, of suspected sponsors of the protest.”
As the security agencies respond, it is noticeable that the protests are fizzling out in many cities, the tensions have calmed and the fear of residents has reduced as social and economic activities start returning to usual. Many have come to the realization that the President does not intended to reverse the petrol subsidy removal as demanded by some of the protesters. Instead he emphatically explained that what Nigerians are passing through now is a result of decades of many misalignments that stunted the nation’s economic growth, and which necessitated urgent and bold decisions by his government in a manner that brings initial pains but for the good of the future of all citizens.
In his nationwide broadcast, President Tinubu stressed that about a year ago, “Nigeria reached a point where we couldn’t afford to continue the use of temporary solutions to solve long-term problems for the sake of now and our unborn generations. I, therefore, took the painful yet necessary decision to remove fuel subsidies and abolish multiple foreign exchange systems which had constituted a noose around the economic jugular of our nation and impeded our economic development and progress.”
The implication is that everyone has to remain patient as the results of these presidential interventions mature and yield fruits. While waiting, the country need not be burnt down, or handed to foreigners. Dialogue will eventually be the path to toe, just as the President has urged all aggrieved persons and groups to do. In the meantime, “our law enforcement agencies should continue to ensure the full protection of lives and properties of innocent citizens in a responsible manner”, the President charged his security commanders. As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and protector-in-chief of every Nigerian, President Tinubu could not have been expected to have spoken otherwise. Just as he and many other Nigerians wish, may peace reign in the land.
