As the #EndBadGovernance protest enters its 9th day, it is pertinent that we take a look at the scorecard. The protest has generated different reactions just as it has taken diverse dimensions in different parts of the country. We have seen peaceful protests, anti-protest rallies, looting, threats from thugs, clampdown on protesters and deaths.
With just one day to go, has the protest yielded the desired results? It may be too soon to tell, but so far, nothing has changed. The senate president is still at home eating while protesters parade the streets and Nigerians are still being urged to exercise more patience. As we approach the last 24 hours of the protest, if nothing changes, will Nigerians ever muster the courage to take to the streets to voice their dissatisfaction again?
The President’s ‘Reaction’
As the protest entered its 4th day, the president succumbed to the immense pressure hitting him from all corners and decided to address the nation. No sooner had the president finished his broadcast than lawyers, political analysts, social commentators, socio-cultural groups and members of the opposition put on their surgical gears and proceeded to dissect the address of Mr. President. Let the surgeons put down their scalpels. Even the most unschooled citizen could see that the address failed to address any of the pressing issues that prompted the protest in the first place, or the use of brute force by the police and the military to ‘manage’ the protest in many parts of the country.
The Kenyan magic the naive and overly optimistic among us expected did not happen. The president has yet to reverse any of the anti-people policies Nigerians groan about. As expected, the president, in his broadcast, effectively dismissed the protest as the handiwork of the opposition and those still seething with anger from the outcome of the 2023 general elections. We know this administration is immune to criticism, both constructive and otherwise. Alas, they have added another feather to their cap – being immune to protests too. Hurray!
The Loud Silence in the South-East
The protest has played out differently in the south-east. It is still not sufficiently clear why folks in the region remained quiet and went about their business or sat at home and simply helped themselves to copious quantities of palm wine as they took the trending gwo gwo gwo ngwo dance challenge to new heights.
Some have argued that the South-easterners tactfully boycotted the protest in order to spare themselves from being held accountable for the actions of the other regions of the nation that also took part. Others maintain that the South-easterners should be left alone, arguing that the protest would be greeted with the most severe crackdown in the southeast.
The Anti-protest Ralies
Why some people took to the streets to protest against the #EndBadGovernance protest is still being debated by many. We all agree that everyone has the right to protest, albeit peacefully. So why do we scratch our heads in puzzlement at the sight of anti-protest protesters? If they conduct themselves civilly, the anti-protest protesters should be allowed to go about their business. Enough of the condemnation. It is their right to protest!
Whether they are sponsored by the government or live in a different Nigeria where a sachet of pure water is still N10 should not be our concern. The fact that these anti-protest rallies were aimed at ensuring that the #EndBadGovernance protest is crushed by all means is what should worry us.
The Curious Search for the Sponsors and Organizers of the Protest
The effort of the government to fish out the sponsors and organizers of the #EndBadGovernance protest took a new turn on Wednesday night as security operatives stormed the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja. Reports have revealed that the security operatives were after materials used in organizing and inciting protesters to take to the streets. When you think you have seen it all, the government unveils a new plot twist.
Bank accounts have been frozen, people, including foreigners, have been taken in for questioning and members of the opposition have been accused. Yet, the true sponsors and organizers of the protest have not been unmasked. By mutual consent, Nigerians have agreed that the organizer of this protest is hunger. Perhaps hunger now lives in the NLC headquarters in Abuja and the security operatives merely went to bring it in for questioning.
A Different Protest in the North
As expected, the protest played out differently in several northern states. When the protests commenced in the north some days before the official scheduled date, a few of us braced ourselves and got ready for the worse. Hence, it didn’t come as a surprise to many when it was reported on the first day of the protest that the yet-to-be commissioned Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) Industrial Park in Kano had been looted and burnt down.
The NCC Industrial Park, it was gathered was designed to facilitate digital innovation and provide technical training for youths. Well, it appears the youth are in dire need of food more than technical training and digital innovation.
The real shock is the report of the looting of the Kano National Library. Forget every definition of irony you know. The protesters in kano have redefined irony. A library – a house that holds valuable books was raided by hoodlums and everything was stolen except the books! The million-dollar question then remains what could be more important in a library than the books? That the building is actually still standing should be considered a miracle. The protesters in the north are just wonderful.
Clowns Amongst Protesters
Nigerians are exceptionally talented when it comes to making jokes out of national issues of paramount importance. The ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest is the latest victim of the ill humour of Nigerians. Somewhere in Benin City, Edo state, a protester was spotted waving the Nigerian flag and leading other protesters wearing nothing but a diaper. A full grown man in a DIAPER! What can Nigerians not do? The less said about the naked and half-naked protesters spotted in Lagos, the better.
Since the cries of the fully clothed protesters have failed to touch the heart of the president, perhaps the naked protesters could make a difference. Are these unusual characters providing comic relief for the more ‘serious’ protesters or are they merely protesting in their own unique way?
The Russian Flag Palaver
The price for the strangest event in the ongoing protest should go to the brandishing of the Russian flag by protesters in some northern states. It is bizarre as it is absurd. I personally have no interest in the ongoing debate on whether the act is an act of treason or not. What difference would it make?
Let the government, lawyers and security agencies worry about the Russian flag palaver. The common man on the street has a more pressing issue to face – hunger. And hunger is oblivious of objects of national identity or nationality. READ ALSO:
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There may yet be a protest that could someday bring about a positive change in Nigeria, but it is very unlikely to be this one. The reaction to hunger and hardship should be spontaneous and not choreographed. A people who are truly hungry and fed up with hardship and bad governance should not have the time to organise a protest, choose a suitable name for it, create awareness, fix a date and debate with the authorities about venues for the protest.
Ekene Ezebuike, mystaheze@gmail.com
