One cannot dispute the fact that Nigerians are suffering beyond words. The three square meals are no longer affordable to an average Nigerian which perhaps led to the increasing number of beggars on the streets and crime in all the nooks and crannies of the country.
Today, the rate of poverty in Nigeria is enormous so much that it has resulted to the death of many people due to hunger and malnutrition as people can no longer afford to buy a simple drug for medication.
The gap between the rich and the poor is widening by every minute due to some administrative lapses of the Federal Government.
The price of food items and other essential commodities have skyrocketed. Yesterday, in Bauchi city, one small measure (Mudu) of maize is N1250. This is one of the staples food, but it is no longer affordable to a common man. Many tenants in Nigeria today cannot be able to pay for their rents as such they are playing hide-and-sick with their landlords.
The question is, who is responsible for the ugly situation in the country which Nigerians are battling with. The answer is, many factors have resulted to this harsh condition, but according to economic experts the removal of fuel subsidy was the major factor. This is because almost everything in Nigeria is attached to fuel. For instance, the irrigation farming heavily rely on petroleum for the water-pump generators, it also has a direct bearing on the transportation of human and material resources.
It is in light of the harsh economic situation which is no longer friendly that Nigerians want to stage a protest on 29th July, 2024 to express their grievances to government for its inability to curtail the situation. The question on the lips of many Nigerians is, CAN THE PLANNED PROTEST SALVAGE THE SITUATION? The answer is "NO" due to the following reasons:
1. The drug addicted unemployed youths who may perhaps participate in the protest may burn down the government buildings and the properties of innocent Nigerians. The shopping malls, pharmaceutical stores, ware houses and factories are not safe.
The multidimensional effects of setting ablaze the hard earned properties of innocent people are indeed numerous to mention among which is to further worsen the harsh economic condition of the nation as hunger will invariably be increased. The factories that were burnt down will take years before they restore production which by extension will lead to the laying off of both skilled and unskilled staff. By implication, the rate of unemployment will be increased.
2.The protest may result to the stealing of goods worth millions of Naira by the evil minded angry youths. The petty traders can also be affected as it will cripple their businesses which they rely on for daily bread.
3.If the protest persists and takes a new dimension the relative peace which Nigerians are enjoying will fade away because it may lead to the possession of small arms by the angry youths which can result to confrontation with the security agents and perhaps may lead to bloodshed.
4.The students of higher learning can also felt the negative impact as Schools will be shut down whenever there was a security threat in the country. This will disrupt the Academic Calendar and perhaps delay their graduation.
5.There is a possibility that the protest may resulted to religious crisis especially if it takes a new dimension. This is far more disastrous than the current economic situation and its effects can be more severe.
It is obvious that some of the youths have good intention in the protest, they want to draw the attention of government to know the degree of the suffering which Nigerians are passing through. But, unfortunately they cannot control the evil ones among them and perhaps the good ones might be few.
I discussed with one of the youths who wish to participate in the protest, he said, it is a revolutionary crusade for bringing an end to the harsh economic situation which has been prevalent since the beginning of the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He added that, it is a peaceful protest to make government do the needful. I just laughed. The truth is, a lot of Nigerians are dying in silence and the financial predicament of most Nigerians is no longer bearable. I reasoned with their submissions, but notwithstanding staging a protest can bring more harm than good to this country.
Furthermore, I tend to realize that the protest that is happening in Kenya is what is fueling the minds of the Nigerian youths to stage a protest against the government. It is important for them to know that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and multi religious society compared to Kenya with not more than 55 Million people. However, history is not just a story, what happened in Libya and Sudan should be a food for thought for the Nigerian youths.
Moreover, an angry youth would like to ask for the solution in bringing an end to the country’s economic problem. Of course staging a protest can never be the solution but the problem can be subdued in the following ways:
1. Members of the National Assembly should be persuaded to act in the best way towards bringing an end to the Security and Economic challenges facing the country.
2. Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress should step up and relentlessly engage the president on the need to alleviate the suffering which Nigerians are passing through.
3. His excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should understand the boiling point which the country is in and act fast towards quenching the problem before it goes out of hand. What is happening in Kenya should be a food for thought.
Finally, the Nigerian youths should calm their nerves and avoid anything that may disrupt the unity and bring security threat in the country which may perhaps lead to bloodshed. It is good for them to know that criminals can camouflaged and exercise their evil intention during the protest which may result to life-long regret. Parents and guardians should caution their children from participating in the planned protest.
SAY NO TO PROTEST!
Yahuza Haruna Gital
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi
July, 2024
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