MR PRESIDENT: #OCCUPYNAIJA WAS TRULY FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD AND WATER by @gbengaosowe
“Look at the demonstrations back home…. are these the ordinary citizens that are demonstrating? Or are people pushing them to demonstrate?
“The demonstration in Lagos… people were given bottled water that people in my village don’t have access to, people were given expensive food that the ordinary people in Lagos cannot eat. So, even going to eat free alone attracts people…Are you telling me that is a demonstration from ordinary masses in Nigeria who want to communicate something to government?
JAN 1st 2012: THE ANNOUNCEMENT
It felt like someone’s silly attempt at humour when on my way back from church, someone in the bus mentioned that the unit price for petrol had been raised to N147. I argued vehemently, displaying my “informed ignorance” by explaining the Minister of Finance’s initial promise that fuel subsidy removal and the subsequent increase in fuel price would not be effected until April 2012. The people who had heard the news left me to my folly and told me to listen to the news when I get home. So you can imagine my surprise and dismay when I got home and confirmed what I heard from the news headlines being bandied on every local television channel.
JAN 2ND to JAN 8TH 2012: THE STRIKE LOOMS
Like other Nigerians, I expected the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and its partners, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to breathe fire and they did not disappoint. They came up immediately with their rejection of the new pump price while Nigerians queued at fuel stations to buy fuel at the new price.
These fuel stations sold stock that they had in store prior to the price hike at the new price and they were making abnormal profits but, by President Jonathan’s reasoning, “people did not protest because of this”.
The days were full of threats and counter threats, meeting upon meeting (open & secret) all in a bid to avert the strike and ensure the president yields to the voice of reason and the voice of the people. It was to no effect. While the impasse lasted, the cost of food items skyrocketed and there was an increase in the amount at which “pure water” was sold.
Well, the President refused to yield based on advice given by the very “wise and astute trio” of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Diezani Allison-Madueke and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Their advice was “in the interest of our future”. Let’s move to the next stage.
JAN 9TH – JAN 16TH: FREE FOOD AND BOTTLED WATER AT OJOTA
Activists, opinion leaders, musicians, lawyers, actors, youths, old people, Christians, muslims, educated and the not- so- educated gathered all over the country to fight this common injustice. They gathered to question why a nation should pay so much for what is theirs; they sought to understand why we sell out crude oil and import petrol. They wanted to know why the President, his ministers and the lawmakers earned so much yet, the only way to generate funds for capital development was to bring suffering upon the common man.
This calibre of people who gathered included the best musicians (icons in their industry), seasoned actors and actresses who could afford to purchase fuel even if was being sold at N1000/ litre. These people came out en masse, staying in the sun for hours in less-than-ideal conditions, shouting loud so their voices could be heard whenever the poor sound system failed. These celebrities joined “ordinary Nigerians” to protest against the inhuman nature of this government. They made their stands known at the risk of not being patronised by government officials who always have excess cash to spare.
I know that I did not pay a kobo for the free “concerts” enjoyed during the period and I am yet to meet anybody who did. So, I wonder who this generous and rich Nigerians are who paid to “hire the best musicians” to come and sing at this protests. Lest I say too much, let’s move on to the next level.
THE SOLDIERS: “BOUNCERS AT THE CONCERT”
Some days to the end of the protest, the presence of ‘paid security personnel’ was noticeable around the Gani Fawehinmi ‘protest’ park in Ojota. These were security agents, paid from the Federal coffers and their job was to keep “unauthorised personnel” from the “concert” abi? Definitely not! They were brought in to prevent the ordinary Nigerian from showing his anger at the insensitivity of his country’s government and to deal with anybody as they deem fit.
SEPTEMBER 18th 2012: THE PRESIDENT’s VIEW AND MY CONCLUSION
The President has shown his “great wisdom” by referring to the protest of January as a battle for food and water. I dare say for once, Mr President is right.
Truly, the battle in January was for food and water but not in the way Mr President thinks. People came out to protest so that their children will not die of starvation from the economic hardship. They came to protest and demand for a just use of the nation’s abundant resources. People came to demand that things be done right and if the citizens are to make sacrifices, then the leaders should show examples.
If as Mr President alleged, people were bribed with bread and bottled water, then I fear for him because they (these rich Nigerians), must be saving up now to buy Lucozade boost, La Casera, Cassava pie and other delicacies to bribe people in protest against bad governance and God help Mr President if they succeed.
I am Osowe Oluwagbenga Omolayo
@gbengaosowe
