Today, I woke up with a sigh of relief, expressing happiness because Nigeria has reached the terminal date of the nationwide protests organized in opposition to what the protesters called “bad governance.” Bad governance is an abominable act that causes hatred, disgust, and repulsion among the people. It is a leadership style so detestable that, in political vocabulary, it is sometimes referred to as “kakistocracy.” This term describes a government considered corrupt or incompetent. In other words, when a government is composed of the worst people in charge, the stage is set for the arrival and eventual settlement of kakistocracy. Such a government has the opposite ambition of democracy.
By Bala Ibrahim
I am not among the protesters, so I don’t know the yardstick they used to gauge the situation. However, through the protests, they have made points, identified problems, and asked the government to embrace the concept of prioritization. They want the stoppage—or outright blockage—of wastage. Fortunately, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has repeatedly stated that his government is committed to making decisions based on the relative importance of issues, in accordance with the urgency of matters and the wishes of the people.
Given the President’s promises and the various submissions from eminent members of society, including former presidents and, more recently, a group of patriots, I believe the protests have succeeded in providing a platform for a constructive conversation between the government and the people. The people have raised concerns about issues that are not being handled properly, including the removal of fuel subsidies, which they believe is fueling hunger and anger in the land. Although the government has said that removing the subsidy is a painful but inevitable decision, it is ready to engage in dialogue, provided the discussions are grounded in sound judgment and sensibility. This is good, very good.
All over the world, protests are typically organized as a way for the public to make their opinions heard by those in power, with the aim of influencing public opinion or changing government policy. If the government refuses to heed or pay attention to their demands or plight, protesters may resort to direct action to bring about the desired changes themselves.
Under the Nigerian Constitution, lawyers assert that Nigerians’ right to peaceful assembly, including protest, is sacrosanct. This means that the protection of the right to freedom of assembly is fundamental in a democratic setting like the one we have in Nigeria today. It also means that both the government and the people have distinct responsibilities to ensure the achievement of this protection. It is the government’s responsibility to put in place adequate mechanisms to ensure that the right to freedom of assembly is fully enjoyed by the people. On the other hand, protesters have a similar responsibility—to ensure that such rights are exercised appropriately and in accordance with the law. Variations or violations can cause confusion, delaying the arrival at an agreement.
From the points made by the protesters, issues of excessive use of force have been raised. They want the government to address this problem and ensure that justice is served to those whose rights have been violated. They also argue that if the government is serious about prioritizing, public institutions must be made to conduct their affairs with discipline. Public resources should be managed in a way that guarantees prudence. Dishonest behavior by people in power, who are accused of acting in ways that are untrustworthy, deceitful, or outright insincere, must be curtailed. The protesters say the people are hungry, yet some leaders are not only extravagant but also openly exploitative, to the detriment of the country. The protesters are not against public spending, but they want things to be ranked in order of importance.
Although the government alleges that the opposition is involved in the protests, churning out lies against it by painting unsubstantiated corruption cases and actions as attempts to promote nepotism, the President has repeatedly said that his actions are in the best interest of the country and that posterity will vindicate him. Shortly after assuming office, the First Lady, Her Excellency, Senator Remi Tinubu, told the world that her husband had come to emancipate Nigeria, not to steal its scarce resources. She said God has been benevolent to them, and it would be immoral, or even irreligious, for them to engage in preposterous actions.
Nigeria is a democracy and should not be turned into an aristocracy, where only the ruling elites enjoy social and economic prestige along with political power. The masses must be included in the sharing of the so-called national cake. That way, anger will not follow the cry of hunger.
