The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT), has addressed the nation. However, many critics, who prefer strikes over peaceful resolutions of their complaints, were not impressed.
Numerous compatriots, including the ambivalent ones, are perpetual cynics who criticize without offering solutions. Such individuals are impossible to please, regardless of the effort made.
This should not concern Mr. President, as these critics would deride him no matter what he says, claiming he has said “nothing.” As the wise Hausa people say, “idan ka fada ruwa, maqiyinka zaice ka tada qura” (if you fall into water, your enemy would accuse you of raising dust), or “ko tsokar jikinka ka yanka ka bah maqiyinka, zaice wari take” (even if you cut and give your flesh to an enemy, he would still say it stinks).
Those criticizing the president’s speech without offering tangible solutions or appreciating its content should be ignored. It is better to focus on constructive actions for the nation rather than catering to such impossible critiques. They prefer to view the speech through their fixed, narrow perspectives.
It is undeniable that times are hard in Nigeria, a situation that has been developing for decades. Protesters should look beyond what is not in the speech and focus on its content with the seriousness it deserves. The hardship is not limited to Nigeria but is a global problem.
Even with my rudimentary understanding of the English language, I note that the president’s speech indicates his deep concern for the nation’s situation amidst the so-called “peaceful strike,” which some term “a day of rage.”
The critics aim to justify the actions of criminals among the protesters, ignoring that crime cannot be rationalized simply because one is not a direct victim. The consequences of such actions will eventually affect everyone.
For solutions to the problems built over decades, citizens need to look in the mirror. Everyone bears some responsibility for the country’s negative reputation.
Nigeria, blessed with enormous human and material resources, still considers constant electricity and water supplies luxuries. This is despite being one of the most religious countries globally, with many citizens capable of reciting the Holy Quran from memory, more so than in many Arab nations.
Yet, almost everyone waits for their turn to “eat” or steal from the Commonwealth. This insatiable appetite for money has become a passion, leading to the abandonment of old friends for new, opportunistic ones.
A personal anecdote highlights this: a friend and colleague, who became a “big” man with an important federal commission appointment, stopped answering my calls. Before his appointment, he frequently sought my help to meet a generous boss. When he was suspended, he sought my help again, but the boss, angered by the opportunism, refused.
President Tinubu’s speech, which some protesters condemned as “empty,” acknowledged the daily hardships many Nigerians face. He outlined measures the federal government is taking to alleviate these difficulties and assured that the economic measures would eventually yield positive results.
The protesters, who acted more like rioters, expected the president to reverse the subsidy removal, release Nnamdi Kanu, and abrogate the 1999 Constitution, among other demands. They were disappointed.
The protest, dubbed “a day of rage,” aimed to pressure the president into capitulating to an agenda that would end his administration and destroy Nigeria.
May God protect Nigeria and its administration from such destructive intentions, now and in the future.
Labaran wrote from Katsina
