Over the years, the government and the populace have been at odds over policies that affect Nigerians’ daily lives. The public has continuously expressed their displeasure and demanded that the government reconsider and improve its regulations in order to better meet the demands and desires of the populace. More famously, protests are a way for people to voice their dissatisfaction and pressure those in positions of power to make concessions. The ongoing one is the #EndBadGovernance Protest that commenced today. It was an organized nationwide action in which people vented their resentment at the state of affairs in the country.
This demonstration against the President Bola Tinubu administration’s alleged terrible governance was sparked by the country’s worsening conditions, including rising food and fuel prices, declining value of local currency, and a need for legislative overhaul. The administration and other political actors had already pushed to put an end to the planned protest, claiming that protest is not the solution to the issue at hand and promising significant changes to the status quo in the near future. Whilst some well-known activists, elders, and stakeholders in Northern Nigeria expressed support for the proposal, saying it appeared to capture the spirit and reality of the country, some Nigerians were spotted holding banners bearing the message “Say No To Protest.”
Photos of protesters have gone viral on social media.
Regardless, as the much awaited state wide hunger protest kickstarted today, there have been protests in major cities all throughout the nation. Photos and videos of the protesters carrying banners and chanting slogans have gone viral on social media. Protesters have publicly stated that they will not stop unless President Bola Tinubu accedes to their demands. Notwithstanding this, a number of state governments, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had secured court orders limiting the action movements within a given time frame in order to prepare for the worst-case situation.
On the streets of certain states, banners with slogans like “End Bad Governance,” “Say no to hardship,” and others were witnessed as people moved in groups for the protest. Whilst a group in Port Harcourt, seen on AIT, performed the former national song, protesters in Lagos were heard shouting “End bad governance.” In states including Abuja, Oyo, Kaduna, and Port Harcourt, people went to the streets. On the other hand, signs of low participation across every region as the protests get underway today have started to appear. Some states, such Cross River State, Kwara, Imo, Abia, Enugu, and others, are not influenced by the nationwide planned protests, with people carrying on with their daily activities as usual.
2020 EndSARS protest is the most devastating one.
Tony Dania, a Human Rights activist and lawyer, claims that the #EndBadGovernance demonstration has already accomplished about twenty-five percent of its objectives. He related this to the government’s adoption of populist measures, which included lowering the price of rice, aiding Dangote’s nearby refinery, and establishing a minimum salary for workers. Similar protest incidents that have occurred throughout the years in the nation demonstrate the effectiveness of group action in promoting change and indicate the persistent dispute between Nigerians and the government. The most devastating one was the 2020 EndSARS protest, which demanded the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) be dissolved due to its long record of assault and brutality on the citizens.
During the movement, Nigerian military forces opened fire on protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos. The “Lekki Massacre,” as it is commonly known, was an event that left many people dead or injured. It is still up for debate how many people were killed. Also, Omoyele Sowore led the RevolutionNow protest in 2019, which called for improved governance, economic reforms, and an end to corruption. However, the demonstration was notable for Sowore’s arrest and the incarceration of other demonstrators. There was also a widespread act of civil disobedience and protests over President Goodluck Jonathan’s gasoline subsidy removal were part of Occupy Nigeria in 2012, which resulted in a compromise on the elimination of some subsidies.
Related Article: Nigerian economy may suffer due to protest
Similarly, a million-person march in Abuja in March 1998 backed General Sani Abacha’s proposal to hand over power to civilians, while a counter-march in Lagos in March 1998, organised by the pro-democracy group NADECO, called for the overthrow of his dictatorship. The nullified June 12, 1993 presidential election, which was widely believed to have been won by Moshood Abiola, caused political unrest and widespread protests, which ultimately resulted in Ibrahim Babangida, the military chief, resigning. Due to growing living expenses, students protested against the IMF’s Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in 1989’s Anti-SAP Riots. They demanded economic reforms.