The August 1st to 10, 2024 hunger protests across the country tagged #EndBadGovernance have been concluded, yet little has the country learnt from the protests as governance in the country falls back to status quo without active measures to address the burning issues raised
The mass protests that rocked the country between August 1 and 10, 2024 with the theme #EndBadGovernance ended on a sad note. Apart from the harvest of deaths, arrests, harassment and intimidation of protesters by security agencies which marred the protests, the Federal Government and federating states have gone back to business as usual disposition without clear cut approach to address the issues raised by the protesting youths.
At the end of the protests, series of demands were put forward to the authorities to address. These include the Federal Government should stop the stealing of Nigeria’s crude oil and fight endemic corruption with all sense of seriousness and sincerity, fight insecurity, protect justice and rule of law as well as the reduction of cost of governance in the country. The protesters, across the country, promised they would regroup at the appropriate time and come back for a stronger protest in the near future.
But on the last day of the hunger protest, Saturday August 10, security operatives cracked down on protesters in Abuja who came out to fulfill their vow to hold a one million-man march to mark the 10th day and end of the #EndBadGovernance protest.
Protesters had begun to assemble in large numbers as early as 7 AM, but were later dispersed by armed police officers who used tear gas and live ammunition.
They were marching from Ebano Supermarket to Galadimawa junction when the police officers arrived, approximately three hours later, deploying tear gas and live bullets to break up the gathering.
The crowd fled for safety during the assault, although fortunately, no lives were lost.
Disturbed by the hardship and poverty among Nigerians, the Catholic Bishops of Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province (KEP) have urged President Bola Tinubu to consider reversing fuel subsidy removal.
The clerics advised him not to see the reversal as a sign of weakness but depiction of responsible leadership.
Rising from the Second Plenary session yesterday in Kaduna, KEP Chairman, Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, submitted: “We have been with subsidy for the past 25 years and we all knew it was eating deep into the finances of the nation and definitely had to go, but the hasty manner in which the President announced the removal had a lot of implications for the psychology and economic well-being of the people.
“People would have been given notice, for instance the subsidy would be removed by 25 per cent in the next six months, so he could remove the subsidy in phases alongside the provision of palliatives and others. It’s about the people, even if the President spends 10 years removing subsidy in phases without inflicting severe hardship on the people that will be better.”
“These policies can inspire confidence in our people. Rather than hiring non-state actors to pacify people, politicians must engage their people directly.
“We encourage the President to focus on the ideals of democracy by building consensus rather than the temptation to search for enemies. Having come from a tradition of protest, the President should appreciate that these protests do not undermine a country. However, leaders of faith communities and civil society must also sharpen their tools and capacity for advocacy.”
In the same vein, the Chairperson of the Women Wing of Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), Southwest Zone, Prophetess Odunola Raji-Adebesin, also advised the President to be firm and decisive in alleviating the suffering of the people.
She advised as the body began its 10th anniversary alongside the empowerment of women, award presentations and investiture of dignitaries.
Also, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has said that the existential condition of citizens, ostensibly the rationale behind the protests is dire and needs urgent attention and it will be a grave mistake to ignore.
In a statement issued by Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, National Publicity Secretary, the ACF recalled that ahead of the August 2024, planned 10-day national protest, ” the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) had raised fears and warned against the action fearing its potential to lead to the breakdown of law and order.”
“Ultimately, protests took place in several locations nationwide, and after the expiry of the protest dates, a postmortem is now in order and some preliminary conclusions are raised as follows: The Protests took place mostly in large urban centres, 1st and 2nd August 2024, but did not last the 10-day plan (as ACF predicted); where it took place, the protest resulted in near generalized social disorder.”
“The actions and behaviour displayed by the protesters of the poorly organised protests went far beyond permissible or reasonable limits and negated even the nebulously conceptualized reasons given by the faceless organisers of the action. The looting, arson, vandalism and general brigandage were inexcusable; as was the waving of the Russian flag inexplicable and unequivocally condemnable.”
“Predictably, locations in Northern Nigeria were particularly hit by such negative outcomes. It is inescapable that over time and especially in the last 14 months of the current political administration in Nigeria, there has developed generalised discontent, frustration, anger and disillusionment in the polity regarding the trajectory of public policy planning and implementation. These have been obvious in the behaviour of protesters or those who looked on mutely.”
The ACF explained that the existential conditions of citizens, ostensibly, the rationale behind the protests are dire and need urgent attention; and it will be a grave mistake to ignore this.”Far too many citizens lack education, access to health facilities, economic opportunities and basic necessities to live comfortable orbearable lives. Confounding the dire living conditions has been the challenges of insecurity in the country; and the Federal and state governments, as well as the security agencies responded to the well-advertised protests and, no less.
“There has continued to be very inadequate response to the genuine calls for the alleviation of the current suffering of citizens, most inadequately disappointingly, even if, ab initio, the constitutional rights to express grievances through demonstrations and protests are put into view.In all the above, ACF has been vindicated in its earlier apprehension about the protests and is saddened by the turn of events. As Nigeria counts the sordid costs of the protests, ACF extends condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of those that lost lives; commiserates with the injured and sympathizes with those whose properties were looted or damaged during the protests.”
