While You Were Away, Mr President
Monday, February 6, marked another watershed in protests against any government of the day in Nigeria. It wasn’t a massive demonstration that could drown similar ones in the past. The significance rather rests in its coming at a time of biting recession, and in the absence of the leader of the nation, who was on medical leave abroad.
Even when the Police were able to persuade popular musician and initiator of the anti-government (termed, anti-Buhari) protest, Mr. Innocent Idibia (aka 2Face) to cancel the march on security grounds, the ordinary citizens, goaded by civil society organisations and student bodies, went ahead with the civil disobedience. That, in itself, sent a disturbing message: the people can take their destiny in their hands.
Taking our bearing from the Unity Fountain in Abuja, where protesters in the capital city gathered, the anti-government group’s leader, Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu, actually put the government on notice against future eventuality. According to him, the era of waiting for labour unions and other civil society groups to fight for the people was over.
“Our government needs to hear directly from us, not through NLC or TUC, those things we say in our offices, markets, schools, churches, mosques and cabs about how bad things are,” Mr. Nwagwu said, adding, “Nigerians would no longer fold their arms and watch government” not meeting its obligations to the people.
The protesters were saying, unequivocally, that the honeymoon, which they indulged President Muhammadu Buhari with since May 29, 2015, was over and, therefore, wanted solutions to their problems, and not excuses or blame game of the past.
Their request, as reported in the media, was simple: improved quality of life for Nigerians. This they couched in a theme, “#I stand with Nigeria,” and displayed placards, some of which read: “We demand the change you (Buhari) promised,” “Where are the recovered monies?” “Exchange rate madness,” and “Emiefele must go.”
Of course, there was a counter-protest by those who used a hashtag, “#I stand with Buhari,” with similar placards along that line: “Nigerians are fully with you,” “We are happy with your policies, especially the anti-graft war,” “We believe in President Muhammadu Buhari making Nigeria great again.”
A spokesperson for the pro-government group, Mr. Amos Adaka, while commending Buhari’s achievements, especially in the areas of security and anti-corruption, nonetheless, noted that “the president cannot reverse within two years of his administration what past administrations destroyed,” and asked Nigerians to “give the government more time to correct the anomalies.”
What’s apparent in these protests, though, was that the anti-government group seemed to drown the voices of professed admirers, sympathisers and supporters of the president and his government. This indicates that while majority of Nigerians support the president, the past week equally shows that a greater majority might be against him, and ready to stamp their feet no matter his current indisposition.
So, it’s time to get real with governance, which the then Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, promised the protesters in his message, “We hear you loud and clear.” On his return to the country, President Buhari should take off from there, to assuage the feelings and anger in the land.
For a start, the president and his team must tackle headlong the multifaceted problem of unemployment, hunger, high cost of goods and fall in the people’s purchasing power.
Ehichioya Ezomon, Lagos