Open Letter To President Bola Tinubu On Looming Protest
Your Excellency, this letter has become necessary, especially considering the proposed protest that is on the front pages of newspapers and social media platforms, which is scheduled to start on August 1 to 10, 2024.
Without being diplomatic, this protest is chiefly driven by hunger which is daily ravaging Nigerians.
Poverty is the greatest threat to any government in power, irrespective of the political party that won election. Hunger, driven by the fear of whether the next meal will ever come provides fuel to power protests against government.
It’s gladdening to note that you have set in motion various peace platforms for the cancellation of the proposed protest, especially by reaching out to traditional and religious leaders across the nation. Also, you have deployed your cabinet ministers to go back to their states to help stop the protest.
By the way, the ministers will be booed because they are not elected but appointees. You carry the mandate of over 200 millions of Nigerians, let’s forget the shenanigans of the 2023 elections – we are now in the season of governance. Address your people, they want to directly hear from you as their president.
Mr. President, as you noted, the 1999 Constitution, as amended, guarantees the inalienable right of citizens to protest. Interestingly, you have also benefited from the freedom that the constitution guaranteed to be a major factor that lead protesters in 2012.
As at today, and until the 2027 general elections, constitutionally, you remain the president of the federal republic of Nigeria. Any body that comes to tell you that this protest is about your person and government is the enemy of Democracy and Nigeria. This protest is basically about hunger and the root cause of soaring food prices.
This is not the time to unleash state security institutions on citizens that have obeyed the freedom and right to protest, as guaranteed by the constitution. On Monday, July 25, 2024, exactly at the gate of the Ikeja military cantonment, a armoured car was positioned, soldiers were in full battle gear, on alert, as if they were expecting attacks on the military base. Also, within the Yaba park axis, soldiers were physically on ground, unsmiling, with menacing mien, as if a military coup had just taken place. Definitely, these are not good optics for your government and tolerance for dissenting voices. This is not a time for grandstanding, threat, intimidation and bravado actions on the citizens. If anything, optics like the picture of soldiers in military combat gear will only harden the heart of protesters. God forbid, Nigeria is not at war!
In this regard, I urge you to rein in your aides and spokespersons, especially Bayo Onanuga. Onanuga should take a leaf from the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, who displayed maturity in his choice of words to communicate with Nigerians on the impending protest. I urge you to order Onanuga to ‘hold fire’, election campaign seasons are over until 2027. Onanuga’s outbursts will only gaslight an already combustible situation which has the potentials of great conflagration consequences across our dear nation.
Mr. President, the hunger ravaging Nigeria is not limited to the youths – it cuts across all strata of age groups. Fathers, mothers, grandpas, grandmas, etcetera, are all affected. After all, we all buy from the same market.
Today, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, stated that inflation on food prices has risen to about 400%. This is official. With this figure, you can imagine what citizens go through – malnourishment is the direct consequences of the NBS report.
So, what is the way forward to avoid the looming, impending protest of August 1, 2024?
Mr. President, government’s main business is the welfare of the people. Nigerians are the most easy, simple people to govern. They are not asking for anything humongous. Your removal of fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023 is chiefly responsible for the sufferings of Nigerians. Nigerian youths are not the protesters, the actual protesters are unemployed fathers, mothers, teachers, labourers, drivers, school pupils, students, grandfathers and grandmothers – all Nigerians are protesting the hunger that is daily killing our people.
Mr. President, as it is said in the streets, “At all at all, naim bad pass.” Don’t just come up with the rhetoric refrain of some governors, members of your cabinet and party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, “This protest is not necessary but sponsored by the opposition.”
Without waiting to address the root cause of hunger after the protest has begun, Mr. President, do something now, go back and review the removal of fuel subsidy to the price of a litre by 50%. This single decision will reverberate and cascade down on to the prices of food, school fees, medical medication, transportation cost and services, etcetera.
Finally, Mr. President allow the protest to hold, order the Police to provide security to the participants but should not harass, intimidate or forcefully restrain protesters. This is the way to ensure peaceful, rancour free protests.
May God bless Nigeria.
By Onorakpene Eviosekwofa
Email: leviose@yahoo.com