As of today, millions of Nigerians believe protesting against bad governance and inhumane policies is justifiable. Even clerics are finding a way to justify how protests are permissible under a democratic government.

It is not an exaggeration to say Nigeria is on the edge. Among the youths, a large chunk of the people believe that it is justifiable to protest as soaring prices plunge millions of households below the waterline. I do not want to imagine what fury awaits the country this August. One thing is certain, democracy will not end when people take to the streets in protest: on the contrary.


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Before I get accused of incitement under the Public Order Act, this is no clarion call for riots. This is to say that a democracy that is unable to satisfy the basic needs of its citizens, brings mass unrest on itself. Martin Luther King aptly observed that “a riot is the language of the unheard”; how else can ordinary people force the powerful to listen?

I feel a democracy that cannot provide basic needs for the people has the tendency to cause widespread unrest. Martin Luther King said, “A riot is the language of the unheard.” This means that riots happen when the voices of the citizens are not listened to. How else can ordinary people make the powerful pay attention? Waiting for 2027 to come will not deal with the imminent humanitarian catastrophe we face.

In my opinion, this proposed protest is entirely legitimate. People’s rage needs to be channelled in ways that can actually force the administrators of this Tinubu government to satisfy popular demands without laying waste to major Nigerian cities. If you are wondering why other governments across the world are doing more to prevent social crises, the answer is simple: It is because they anticipate mass protests if they fail to act.

A few days ago, a TV political commentator discussed the main grievance of Kenyan protesters. They are opposing the Finance Bill 2024, which suggests new taxes on essential goods and services. He mused, “Another one of those charts which makes you wonder why Kenyans are always so angry with their government.” Kenya’s rulers fear that citizens will express their rage with protests in the streets, which discourages attacks on their living standards.

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Kenya, similar to France, has a history of popular unrest that provides legitimacy to public protests. The results over the decades speak for themselves. In 1997, brutal police crackdowns on demonstrators acted as a trigger for broader strikes and mass protests. Fearing widespread unrest, the government was forced to negotiate with the protest leaders, leading to significant concessions and reforms.

Nearly two decades later, as President, Uhuru Kenyatta would also become the target of popular wrath after his government sought to implement harsh economic policies, including tax hikes and austerity measures. When Kenyatta’s administration tried to stand its ground, weeks of mass strikes, workplace occupations, and popular protests forced the administration into a grinding retreat.



Similarly, President William Ruto believed his election victory in 2022 offered a mandate to impose regressive economic policies. His attempt to introduce new taxes through the Finance Bill 2024 – a policy that disproportionately affected the poorest – led to a social explosion in the form of widespread protests. Once again, the people in the streets won. “No policy is worth jeopardising the unity of the nation,” Ruto’s chastened administration eventually conceded.

Much attention has rightly focused on how public discontent has forced the Kenyan government to reconsider its economic policies. But any Kenyan government without a political death wish would surely prefer to invest in protecting living standards rather than drive the masses to the barricades. Put simply, Kenya’s rulers fear their people. In Nigeria, as things stand, they do not. They feel sprinkling money or sharing food can end any protest.

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The reasons for this are not culturally ingrained. Our own establishment prefers us to forget it. But Nigerians have stood up against the military and even the colonial masters at various times when the going gets tough.

And Nigeria has experienced significant resistance movements even before many European revolutions. From anti-colonial uprisings to the labour strikes of the 1940s, 1950s, and even the 1990s, agitation is as Nigerian as jollof rice. Our complicity in forgetting our history—believing we are inherently docile and will limit our unrest to social media rants—allows our leaders to think they can get away with almost anything.

The emergence of a new mass campaign to protest against the bad policies of this administration offers real hope that popular resistance is returning to Nigeria. This movement is particularly significant. It has the potential to create a strong leadership. Its task is clear: a crash course in civil resistance for the Tinubu administration.

If our leaders are terrified of their own people, drastic measures to protect living standards will follow quickly. As the economic hardships increase, a wave of protests must be imminent.



https://dailytrust.com/enough-is-enough-silence-is-not-an-option/

Nigerians should take things easy. If they didn't protest after elections why now.

All these preaching on top civil protest that is people's right?

How many of these preachings una write give tinubu in 2012?

Our people say...
You Do not Need to Tell a Deaf & Dumb Man that the Market is on Fire.

We don't want any protest o! And should anyone start any protest then let them carry placards to display their tribes or ethnicity before some people will start claiming igbos has started burning down Nigeria. Every Igboman should please enjoy their sit at home in the eventual protest, let it be known that igbos never participated in your protests.
It has become very important for igbos to disassociate themselves from everything in this government, let everyone fight their respective battles. We all know how it would end,they will always turn around to blame igbos for their own failure.

You have a right to protest, but do not loot and destroy infrastructure and private properties like we are seeing in kenya, except you are ready to cross over. Nigerian police are not known to use rubber bullets.

You are free to protest in kano or kaduna, nobody cares and to others who want to protest, they should go to their different states but if u think that endsars madness fit happen again in lagos, die down that thought cuz u will meet stiff resistance

Time to start removing your Emirs.

Your Emirs must go

raskymonojendor:
You have a right to protest but do not loot and destroy infrastructure like we are seeing in kenya, except you are ready to cross over. Nigerian police are not known to using rubber bullets.

They are going to loot and destroy things as they have motives behind the protest.

We are not going to allow it at all to save the gory stories later.

Infact, the security operatives should start picking the organizers up from now

helinues:
Time to start removing your Emirs.

Your Emirs must go

Would you like to die in silence than to protest?

SisterRamota:
Would you like to die in silence than to protest?

If you are yet to die with the years of trolling others on this forum, trust me nothing would happen to me

https://www.nairaland.com/sisterramota/posts

santopelele:
come lets go to work, this is morning

Switch to more trolling dedicated monikers to be revalidating yourself. So as how productive you dey roll

helinues:
Time to start removing your Emirs.

Your Emirs must go

come lets go to work, this is morning

So far you hold your protest in Kano or Zamfara etc then you will have no problem

Paraman:
So far you hold your protest in Kano or Zamfara etc then you will have no problem

helinues:
Time to start removing your Emirs.

Your Emirs must go

YorubaNiBaba:
You are free to protest in kano or kaduna, nobody cares and to others who want to protest, they should go to their different states but if u think that endsars madness fit happen again in lagos, die down that thought cuz u will meet stiff resistance

I thought you Yoruba tribalists said it's Igbos that are calling for protest?


Senseless bigots

Nobody is saying not to protest but don't let them make you try to cause havoc anywhere in the SW. Anybody tried shit around SW always had their lives wasted Sara. There's never been a reprisal because we are only but handful outside SW except of course outside Nigeria...

President William Ruto attempt to introduce new taxes through the Finance Bill 2024, a policy that disproportionately affected the poorest ed to a social explosion in the form of widespread protests.

Once again, the people in the streets won. “No policy is worth jeopardising the unity of the nation,” Ruto’s chastened administration eventually conceded.

This is the only language oppressive leaders understand

ObiORBiafra:
Nobody is saying not to protest but don't let them make you try to cause havoc anywhere in the SW. Anybody tried shit around SW always had their lives wasted Sara. There's never been a reprisal because we are only but handful outside SW except of course outside Nigeria...

.

helinues:
Time to start removing your Emirs.

Your Emirs must go

What did you sniff this morning?

Victerica:


No fear. It will be a peaceful protest.

By the way, men mount oooo.

Nobody fit fear around here

Let's protest the reversing of petroleum prices to how it was before this wicked administration took over

Some reminders from EndSars.

B-b-b-but protest is haram? Oh! Oh! Sorry I forgot. It's only haram if one of you hypocritical, braindead tadpoles is in power. Tinubu is ass, but you northern melons' hypocrisy stinks. Especially as you don't even have enough functioning braincells to have a modicum of a cover-up.

YorubaNiBaba:
You are free to protest in kano or kaduna, nobody cares and to others who want to protest, they should go to their different states but if u think that endsars madness fit happen again in lagos, die down that thought cuz u will meet stiff resistance

Please there is job recruitment ongoing at Lucky fibre company. Be productive.

A deafening noise from the North and the East

Keep pushing y'all. We'll get there

Ode, Buhari looted the country dry and even mortgaged Nigeria oil, after which he and his useless nephew looted everywhere but your useless self dey say what exactly? How about the Nigeria air scam nonsense by the criminal Buhari and his fellow cronies?

Unless the clamour for the return of regionalism, I won't take anything serious from these useless criminal fools. As a matter of fact, Nigeria can't continue in the same stupid system therefore, the need to return back to Regionalism which was the best highlight of the country.

As a matter of fact, Nigeria must return back to regionalism system.

Igbo, Igbo do not protest any shit biko kwa .
history has taught us and this generation of Igbo will not be like our Father. amam na ihe di hard but chiUkwu Abiama(Abraham) go see us through. the north has started their evil plan again, stupid aboki gangude is suddenly saying igbo are marginalized like he only knew about it yesterday, see umu-nnem wise up ohh, it is all a plan to incite us with this government so they can remove him come 2027, but tell them to support obi in 2027 to remove tinubu and they won't.

SisterRamota:
Would you like to die in silence than to protest?

Nigerians are too broke to embark on a peaceful protest now. Any protest now will give urchins room to loot and destroy the businesses of hardworking people. Nigerians abuse everything. This is a hunger-inspired protest and there's no way it won't end in looting and destruction.

People are allowed to protest peacefully like NLC has done for some time now, but the security operatives should be stationed to shoot immediately any protesters seen trying to destroy public property or loot businesses. This is the only way to maintain law and order.

cnwari:
Nigerians should take things easy. If they didn't protest after elections why now.

PO told dem not to...

PO bleeped up back then after d election

ObiORBiafra:

Nobody fit fear around here

We want progress for everyone.

ogashman:
All these preaching on top civil protest that is people's right?

How many of these preachings una write give tinubu in 2012?

my brother its very funny
Tinubu that protested against almost every government is now suddenly against protest
What you sow is what you reap
That's the law

cnwari:
Nigerians should take things easy. If they didn't protest after elections why now.

It is never too late to right your wrong. If things were better, who would have cared. Do you know the current price of Toyota spider?