It’s difficult to comment on this EndSARS protest. The federal government has responded reasonably well to almost all demands and in record time too.
One wonder why the youths are still protesting. If it’s based on the reasons stated by the time the protesters started the Govt has done well. But, truth be said, the protest has continued because people are just angry with the way the country is. They are disillusioned with the governance of the country. They have been patient and hoped for change, the government keeps claiming Nigeria is getting better but to the common man he knows his life is not particularly better now than the way it was in 2015.
Based on facts, these protesters can’t logically argue why they are still on the street, but deep down he/she knows it’s difficult to palpate the change that has been so much anticipated from this government.
The consensus and support amongst different stakeholders in the country for strike has been unprecedented for this administration. The government was lucky to make Labour back down. But at last People were just waiting for the opportunity.
Why are youths angry? The petrol and electricity hike, I guess that was what tipped people over. Let us not forget that this administration has increased PMS price before but the streets were silent.
While the government may still have some justification for the PMS hike, the people cannot fathom the basis to keep paying more for the electricity that is just not there. And to add salt to injury, you can be in the same street and you have different rates for electricity under the guise of cost reflective tarrif!
And what do we say about the cost of food in the land? Well the ever increasing inflation rate should answer that. A bag of rice now is more than the minimum wage! Yeah, the people were patient to see the results of the rice revolution.
Now, Nigeria is said to be the highest producer of rice in Africa. Bravo! But what is the explanation for this killing increase in price. Before the revolution, rice was between 5k – 8k. Now, so called local rice is hovering around 25k, foreign above 30k. Even if we are expected to jettison the foreign, why is the local this expensive? Why? We can continue to give excuses for the government, but what the common man wants is just to eat. If they can’t afford chicken peri-peri at least they should be able to eat a pocket friendly local rice. I don’t think that is too much to ask for.
At a point, the only argument left for the administration was that at least security is getting better. But can we still say that in all confidence? Bokoharam is increasingly getting bold all over again. But even if we say the capacity of Bokoharam is not like 2015 and preceding years, what do we say about the spreading menace of bandits?
Kidnapping is now a national emergency even if the government hasn’t declared it so. Yet call to rejig the security apparatus has met deaf ears. People have even questioned if the President is aware in time ,place and person!
it’s all these disillusion in governance of the country that is behind this agitation. EndSARS just provided the opportunity. They want to tell the President in clear terms – You are not doing well!
Perhaps some of us feel it’s political jobbers that are behind this. I don’t think so. Obviously they want to take advantage of it and they will do. If we notice some of the protesters have tried in their own little way to ward off political opportunist but surely this kind of protest won’t last without some funding . Those who wish to create anachy in the land will surely seize the opportunity. They had wanted to bring the President administration down from day 1. They threw several things to make the people rise against it but consistently the masses had looked away. They actually had trust in the Man at the center until now. It is not strange that opportunist cash in on things like this.
Lest we forget, similar thing happened during the protest against the last administration. Tables have turned now, nobody should cry fowl.
I hope the President is reading this whole scenario well. I hope he gets the right message from it. His legacy is obviously being questioned. He should be mindful of what he will be remembered for. He can’t blame anybody, he asked for this position 3 times before he was given on the 4th time asking. He also has the luxury of a renewed mandate. History will not accept any excuse from him.
We know he has sworn enemy, they have been at work immediately he won even before swearing in. They probably won’t believe he will still be alive today. But so do all those who occupied that seat before him.
Leadership is not defined by the desire to build, but by how much destruction of the land were you actually able to rebuild.
