“We can change Nigeria and we are coming together to do just that”
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Elisabeth Janaina
Feb 13, 2017, 10:27:48 AM2/13/17
to southsudankob
#IStandWithNigeria protests: “We can change Nigeria and we are coming
together to do just that”
Posted on February 8, 2017 by Linus Unah
On Monday, hundreds took to the streets to demonstrate against a wide
range of political and economic grievances with the government. They
say this is just the start.
Nigerians march in the #IStandWithNigeria protests. Credit: Basilabia.
As the morning sun rose on the streets of Abuja this Monday, Ndi Kato
put on a black t-shirt, grabbed a marker pen and piece of cardboard,
and left home. She scribbled the words “For southern Kaduna stop the
killing” on the makeshift placard and made her way to Unity Fountain
in the heart of the capital.
Soon, the 27-year-old activist was surrounded by hundreds more people,
many of them singing, chanting, and carrying a wide variety of signs.
“Buhari: Is this the change you promised us?” read one placard, while
another stated: “We are graduates, we have no job, no accommodation
and no livelihood”.
Similar scenes were taking place simultaneously across other cities in
Nigeria, including Lagos, Oyo, Benin, Uyo, and Port Harcourt. Tagged
#IStandWithNigeria, the national protests were triggered by the
ongoing economic crisis in the country, and demonstrators took the
opportunity to air grievances, ranging from the rising cost of food,
to lack of quality education, to unemployment, to ongoing corruption,
to the erratic electricity supply and more.
“The country is in ruins,” said Kato. “Nothing is going right. There
is a lot of injustice and extrajudicial murders.”
Omowunmi Afolabi, a management consultant based in Lagos, explained:
“I joined this protest because I represent the voice of everyday
Nigerians whose reality have been distorted.”
“The government is making life more difficult”
President Muhammadu Buhari took office in June 2015, elected on a wave
of optimism and promising to tackle insecurity, endemic corruption and
power shortages head on. But nearly two years on, many Nigerians have
lost confidence in his administration.
https://twitter.com/basilabia/status/828554326020857857
[Nigeria: The shattering of the Buhari mythology]
Last year, Africa’s second largest economy slipped into a recession
for the first time in over 20 years. And inflation reached an 11-year
high of nearly 19%.
A major reason behind Nigeria’s economic problems is the slump in
global oil prices and the slowdown in production due to attacks on
pipelines by militant groups in the Niger Delta region. Nigeria relies
on crude oil for almost 70% of government income.
But several analysts also argue that the government exacerbated the
situation. In particular, many point to the administration’s delays in
devaluing the naira, which left many businesses struggling to get
foreign currency to pay for imports.
This has had severe knock-on effects for many Nigerians. For example,
Nathan Onu, a building engineer in Abuja, says he joined Monday’s
protest because he believes “the government is making life more
difficult”.
“I have not built for anyone since March last year,” he said. “Drive
round Abuja, you hardly see any building projects going on. People are
looking for food not building. As of a result…my job suffers and when
it suffers the resultant effect is on my family.”
“A tweet is not what we want”
President Buhari has been in the UK on medical leave for over two
weeks now. He was expected back on Monday, but extended his absence to
await the result of tests, though what the medical checks are for
remains hidden from the public.
This means that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is the acting
head-of-state, and on 6 February, he responded to the
#IStandWithNigeria protests in a series of tweets.
“To those who are protesting, WE HEAR YOU loud and clear,” he began on
the social media platform. “To those who are on the streets protesting
the economic situation & those who are not, but feel the pain of
economic hardship, we hear you”, he went on, adding: “You deserve a
decent life and and [sic] we are working night and day to make life
easier.”
Some protesters may have been heartened that their demands were being
listened to. But others such as Afolabi were unmoved. “A tweet is not
what we want from the presidency. We need a national address showing
us a roadmap out of this mess,” he said.
Yellow card
On Monday, there had been some concerns that the demonstration would
not happen after the Nigerian musician Innocent Idibia (better known
by his stage name 2face), who had originally initiated the protest,
cancelled the march citing fears over security.
But nevertheless, hundreds of protesters took it upon themselves to
march in several cities around the country. And it seems that this is
just the start.
Enough is Enough, a coalition of young Nigerians demanding good
governance, has called for further demonstrations if the government
doesn’t address the issues raised by the protests. Meanwhile, the
Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress announced that they
will protest in Lagos and Abuja tomorrow on 9 February. The two trade
unions said they will work together to organise a “National Day of
Action Against Corruption and for Good Governance”.
Further protests have also been mooted. For instance, Chidi Odinkalu,
a former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission who attended
the Monday protests, told African Arguments: “Today we are here with a
yellow card. On May 29, if things are not better, we will come with a
red card.”
For the #IStandWithNigeria protesters, the road ahead may be long. But
the energy and success of Monday’s demonstrations has encouraged them
to keep up the pressure on Buhari’s government as the economic crisis
continues.
“I felt the power of the people,” said Kato. “Even young people who
don’t care about political issues came out, and for the first time I
felt like Nigerians were determined. We can change Nigeria and we are
coming together to do just that.”
Linus Unah is a Nigerian journalist based in Enugu, Nigeria.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or
subscribing to the RSS feed to have future articles delivered to your
feed reader.
This entry was posted in African Politics Now, The Nigeria Forum.
Bookmark the permalink.
One thought on “#IStandWithNigeria protests: “We can change Nigeria
and we are coming together to do just that””
TMOORE says:
February 9, 2017 at 1:53 pm
Is unfortunate that the few idiots from the south west that pushed
Nigeria into this mess are not saying any thing or making any move to
ease the suffering of the poor masses .
But is good also a blessing in disguise because it is only when a
woman marries a second husband that she will confirm the one that
loves her most .
Now is the expected right time for all those shameless fools that
gathered at OJOTA Lagos protesting that Jonathan should go years back
to stand up and say the same thing to Buhari but if they fail to do so
their suffering is just beginning because all the hypocrites must meet
their Waterloo .
The people from the south east should beware because the strong
Man from the south west is asking them to contest for President in
2019 when he is yet to clear up the mess he plunged Nigeria into
because of what I don’t know .
Until Nigerians stand up and tell this people enough is enough
Nigeria will never move forward .
Check this out since 19-60 that Nigeria got Independent the same
set of People is recycling them selves and their family to rule
Nigeria and with that how do you think Nigeria will move forward ?
Only revolution can bring to an end of all these mess .
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together to do just that”
Posted on February 8, 2017 by Linus Unah
On Monday, hundreds took to the streets to demonstrate against a wide
range of political and economic grievances with the government. They
say this is just the start.
Nigerians march in the #IStandWithNigeria protests. Credit: Basilabia.
As the morning sun rose on the streets of Abuja this Monday, Ndi Kato
put on a black t-shirt, grabbed a marker pen and piece of cardboard,
and left home. She scribbled the words “For southern Kaduna stop the
killing” on the makeshift placard and made her way to Unity Fountain
in the heart of the capital.
Soon, the 27-year-old activist was surrounded by hundreds more people,
many of them singing, chanting, and carrying a wide variety of signs.
“Buhari: Is this the change you promised us?” read one placard, while
another stated: “We are graduates, we have no job, no accommodation
and no livelihood”.
Similar scenes were taking place simultaneously across other cities in
Nigeria, including Lagos, Oyo, Benin, Uyo, and Port Harcourt. Tagged
#IStandWithNigeria, the national protests were triggered by the
ongoing economic crisis in the country, and demonstrators took the
opportunity to air grievances, ranging from the rising cost of food,
to lack of quality education, to unemployment, to ongoing corruption,
to the erratic electricity supply and more.
“The country is in ruins,” said Kato. “Nothing is going right. There
is a lot of injustice and extrajudicial murders.”
Omowunmi Afolabi, a management consultant based in Lagos, explained:
“I joined this protest because I represent the voice of everyday
Nigerians whose reality have been distorted.”
“The government is making life more difficult”
President Muhammadu Buhari took office in June 2015, elected on a wave
of optimism and promising to tackle insecurity, endemic corruption and
power shortages head on. But nearly two years on, many Nigerians have
lost confidence in his administration.
https://twitter.com/basilabia/status/828554326020857857
[Nigeria: The shattering of the Buhari mythology]
Last year, Africa’s second largest economy slipped into a recession
for the first time in over 20 years. And inflation reached an 11-year
high of nearly 19%.
A major reason behind Nigeria’s economic problems is the slump in
global oil prices and the slowdown in production due to attacks on
pipelines by militant groups in the Niger Delta region. Nigeria relies
on crude oil for almost 70% of government income.
But several analysts also argue that the government exacerbated the
situation. In particular, many point to the administration’s delays in
devaluing the naira, which left many businesses struggling to get
foreign currency to pay for imports.
This has had severe knock-on effects for many Nigerians. For example,
Nathan Onu, a building engineer in Abuja, says he joined Monday’s
protest because he believes “the government is making life more
difficult”.
“I have not built for anyone since March last year,” he said. “Drive
round Abuja, you hardly see any building projects going on. People are
looking for food not building. As of a result…my job suffers and when
it suffers the resultant effect is on my family.”
“A tweet is not what we want”
President Buhari has been in the UK on medical leave for over two
weeks now. He was expected back on Monday, but extended his absence to
await the result of tests, though what the medical checks are for
remains hidden from the public.
This means that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is the acting
head-of-state, and on 6 February, he responded to the
#IStandWithNigeria protests in a series of tweets.
“To those who are protesting, WE HEAR YOU loud and clear,” he began on
the social media platform. “To those who are on the streets protesting
the economic situation & those who are not, but feel the pain of
economic hardship, we hear you”, he went on, adding: “You deserve a
decent life and and [sic] we are working night and day to make life
easier.”
Some protesters may have been heartened that their demands were being
listened to. But others such as Afolabi were unmoved. “A tweet is not
what we want from the presidency. We need a national address showing
us a roadmap out of this mess,” he said.
Yellow card
On Monday, there had been some concerns that the demonstration would
not happen after the Nigerian musician Innocent Idibia (better known
by his stage name 2face), who had originally initiated the protest,
cancelled the march citing fears over security.
But nevertheless, hundreds of protesters took it upon themselves to
march in several cities around the country. And it seems that this is
just the start.
Enough is Enough, a coalition of young Nigerians demanding good
governance, has called for further demonstrations if the government
doesn’t address the issues raised by the protests. Meanwhile, the
Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress announced that they
will protest in Lagos and Abuja tomorrow on 9 February. The two trade
unions said they will work together to organise a “National Day of
Action Against Corruption and for Good Governance”.
Further protests have also been mooted. For instance, Chidi Odinkalu,
a former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission who attended
the Monday protests, told African Arguments: “Today we are here with a
yellow card. On May 29, if things are not better, we will come with a
red card.”
For the #IStandWithNigeria protesters, the road ahead may be long. But
the energy and success of Monday’s demonstrations has encouraged them
to keep up the pressure on Buhari’s government as the economic crisis
continues.
“I felt the power of the people,” said Kato. “Even young people who
don’t care about political issues came out, and for the first time I
felt like Nigerians were determined. We can change Nigeria and we are
coming together to do just that.”
Linus Unah is a Nigerian journalist based in Enugu, Nigeria.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or
subscribing to the RSS feed to have future articles delivered to your
feed reader.
This entry was posted in African Politics Now, The Nigeria Forum.
Bookmark the permalink.
One thought on “#IStandWithNigeria protests: “We can change Nigeria
and we are coming together to do just that””
TMOORE says:
February 9, 2017 at 1:53 pm
Is unfortunate that the few idiots from the south west that pushed
Nigeria into this mess are not saying any thing or making any move to
ease the suffering of the poor masses .
But is good also a blessing in disguise because it is only when a
woman marries a second husband that she will confirm the one that
loves her most .
Now is the expected right time for all those shameless fools that
gathered at OJOTA Lagos protesting that Jonathan should go years back
to stand up and say the same thing to Buhari but if they fail to do so
their suffering is just beginning because all the hypocrites must meet
their Waterloo .
The people from the south east should beware because the strong
Man from the south west is asking them to contest for President in
2019 when he is yet to clear up the mess he plunged Nigeria into
because of what I don’t know .
Until Nigerians stand up and tell this people enough is enough
Nigeria will never move forward .
Check this out since 19-60 that Nigeria got Independent the same
set of People is recycling them selves and their family to rule
Nigeria and with that how do you think Nigeria will move forward ?
Only revolution can bring to an end of all these mess .
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Comment
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Website
Time limit is exhausted. Please reload CAPTCHA. − five = 3
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