Mosaic of the August nationwide protests

Mahatma Gandhi, that iconic, dogged proponent of non-violent demonstration, once put his enduring philosophy of protests thus: “It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.” Protests as resilient, dependable seeds, in other words. As things stand, the organisers of the present protests in various parts of the country, scheduled to last till August 10, may have to take solace in the sage’s tested admonition, especially in the face of the apparently lost momentum. Now, the fire next time. Probably.

It’s not that they even have reasonable options, anyway. The seriousness with which the agitations began has not only waned considerably, other extraneous factors like the Russian flag have entered the fray and dampened any rationale for continuing. Perhaps to the joy of the government, at least. In this era of hashtags, #EndBadGovernance gave birth to many others of varying persuasions, perceptions and dimensions – all of which are virtually aimed at getting the attention of young Nigerians who by far constitute a chunk of internet/social media users. Understandably so.

The revolution in information and communication technology (ICT) has continued to power social mobilisation around the globe in contemporary times more than any other communication or media phenomenon. Twitter (now X), for instance, was so effective in galvanising the #EndSars rallies and street parades in 2020 that the then government of President Muhammadu Buhari sanctioned the operations of the medium. That period woke the nation’s teeming but underutilised youth population to its own latent energies. If the actions which had commenced peacefully hadn’t been infiltrated by thugs, those momentous days would certainly have produced substantial national course changes.

Nigeria’s latest protests have more than enough catalysts, both domestic and external, to snowball into what could keep everybody awake. Hunger, inflation levels not anticipated by most textbooks on economics and the whirlwind liberalisation of poverty in the land do not ordinarily require weeks-long notices for people dissatisfied with their conditions to react drastically. More recently, Kenya caught the eyes of the world as it was engulfed in the ruins that had started as the rightful demands by its citizens to hold the government of President William Ruto to account. Only some days ago, the riots in Bangladesh which culminated in the abrupt resignation and abscondment of its Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed were mostly invigorated by unemployed youths who were fed up with the discriminatory job placement quota system. In both cases and many others, the new media have become potent tools for sensitising and rallying people towards taking actions of all kinds.

Unlike some past instances, however, the reasons for attempting to unite Nigerians to “take back” their country, though pressing, haven’t succeeded in further validating the fame of social media platforms as mobilisers for common causes. They are serving, instead, as conveyors of the familiar fault-lines that have kept the populace divided for long. Sincerely, my major wish in the run-up to August 1 was for the exercises not to become violent. Thankfully, personalities like the Most Rev Dr Bulus Yohana, Catholic Bishop of Kotangora Diocese and Chairman of the Niger State Branch of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), sought to douse the tension that preceded the demonstrations. According to him, “as a body, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter will not be part of the exercise but rather prefer to have peaceful dialogue and continue to pray for our nation. Peaceful protest with clear demands is good but such could be hijacked by miscreants and be perceived as security threat which can lead to arrests, shootings. And we cannot afford to lose any of our children…

“There is no time that violence has led to positive results, rather it has caused destructions, loss of lives, and setbacks… Let there be greater accountability, fairness in empowerment, job opportunities, employment into various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Military and paramilitaries, sharing the commonwealth and then allowing justice to prevail at all times. An idle brain is the department of the devil. If you have nothing to do the devil will employ you for his work.” But the bit about the government rising to its duties sounds like a broken record. Rather than devise meaningful ways to make life more liveable for the Nigerian people, successive administrations have perfected devious methods to respond to their frustrations and anger, no matter how legitimate. And to break their ranks if they seem to forge any united front.

Are Nigerians now hopelessly helpless, condemned to a lifetime of Machiavellian manoeuvres by those who are supposed to lead them? Why is it so difficult for the citizens of a country that has practiced 25 years of uninterrupted democracy to truly demonstrate “voice of the people”, a core component of this system of government, even on issues that are fundamental to their very existence and general wellbeing?

President Bola Tinubu’s reaction to the protests several days after they started began on a sober, compassionate note: “I speak to you today with a heavy heart and a sense of responsibility, aware of the turmoil and violent protests unleashed in some of our states…. I am especially pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and other states, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of protest organisers that the protest would be peaceful across the country. The destruction of properties sets us back as a nation, as scarce resources will be used to restore them….

“As president of this country, I must ensure public order. In line with my constitutional oath to protect the lives and property of every citizen, our government will not stand idly by and allow a few with a clear political agenda to tear this nation apart…. Under the circumstances, I hereby enjoin protesters and the organisers to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity. Nigeria requires all hands to be on deck and needs us all – regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides, to work together in reshaping our destiny as a nation.

“To those who have taken undue advantage of this situation to threaten any section of this country, be warned. The law will catch up with you. There is no place for ethnic bigotry or such threats in the Nigeria we seek to build….” And he delved into self-appraising (not self-serving, hopefully) statements that would only be suitable for other occasions, not the ones precipitated by the prevailing unprecedented suffering, increasing loss of faith in the political class, and darker prospects.

Yes, true lovers of Nigeria should rejoice that the volume of mayhem earlier anticipated hasn’t materialised. But the current atmosphere in which the protests appear to be experiencing some inertia doesn’t call for triumphalism of any sort, either. Whatever the outcomes in relation to expectations, one point should be clear to any discerning mind: the seeming impregnability of the privileged clan won’t go on indefinitely without being challenged by the increasingly disillusioned mass of the people. Disappointed by the low turnout of protesters in Lagos, one of them declared, “Nigerians haven’t suffered enough. Perhaps, they’ll rise up when one cup of rice hits N10,000.” That’s deep.

Dr Ekpe is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board.