PROTESTS: WHAT TINUBU DID NOT SAY

After persistent appeals to shelve the 10-day hunger protest by many stakeholders, the protest went ahead as scheduled but marred with violence as feared by many Nigerians. In an earlier article entitled, “Protest:A note of Caution” I opined that any protest without coordinating leadership can be hijacked by hoodlums and the enemies of state to cause anarchy. This was what exactly happened on Thursday,1st August. The long awaited protest tagged #ENDBADGOVERNANCE which was organised by Nigerian youths in response to poverty and hunger in the land was hijacked by street urchins and it turned bloody. In Kano State,shops were looted and government properties were destroyed by hoodlums. Besides Kano,other states including FCT, witnessed chaotic protests resulting in the loss of lives and destruction of properties.

  Whether the planned protest is being funded by opposition or infiltrated by foreign mercenaries as alleged by government, the truth remains that Tinubu’s twin policies of subsidy removal and floating of naira are the trigger. Since the removal of fuel subsidy on 29th May, last year,prices of goods and services have continued to soar beyond the reach of an average Nigerian. Currently,food inflation has defied government’s measures and raised to a record high of 40%. The menace of insecurity has contributed significantly to the high rate of inflation with many farming communities sacked by rapacious bandits. Dangote’s 650,000bpd capacity refinery which should address fuel shortages,reduce importation and save some forex has become a subject of needless controversy. It took the intervention of President Tinubu to calm frayed nerves.

President Tinubu’s speech against the hunger protest on Sunday failed to address the lingering issues raised by the protesting youths. One had expected the president to have talked about insecurity in the north, how it has affected food production and the efforts by his government to bring back the displaced farming communities. Nigerians had expected the president to talk about fixing our moribund money guzzling refineries which will crash the fuel price if they become operational. While President Tinubu took time to explain his government’s reforms in critical sectors of the economy and why Nigerians should exercise patience,he has failed to come to terms with stark reality that one year since the commencement of his much talked reforms, many Nigerians are gradually being pushed to poverty and hunger.

   Ibrahim Mustapha, Pambegua, Kaduna State