We are witnessing some of the worst anti-government protests in our recent democratic history, fuelled by economic hardship, hunger and a general feeling of disillusionment among many Nigerians. Whatever the arguments are for or against the protests, it suffices that some Nigerians are making public their anger against the system and resolute to demand change. The protest, after Day 4, showcased the massive dichotomy in the various regions’ interpretation of their stake in the Nigerian project and the impact of the economic realities and peoples’ feelings about them. Understanding Nigeria’s fault lines is not just crucial, but it’s also enlightening to understand her socio-political dynamics and culture of resilience. I will point out six ways the #EndBadGovernance Protests have shown the stubbornness of our fault lines and differences in our level of political sophistication. 

First, the North-South divide plays out clearly in the attitude, feelings, and intensity of participation in the protest. In the South, the Southeast is entirely silent and has refused to join the protest, and the South-South is shyly participating. The southwest sees a little more participation, and Lagos is the epicentre of the protests in this region. On the other hand, the North is in turmoil, and participation is more active and resilient with all sorts of unprintable demands. Unfortunately, some parts of Nigeria, especially the North, have become chaotic and bloody. It is not surprising that this is the case. This correlates with the difference in poverty, hunger, and out-of-school children’s data respectively between the North and the South. 

The economic hardship bites more in the North, and they feel the pinch and are more likely to protest it. The North have the poorest states, the most negligible GDP per capita, high infant and maternal mortality rates, and high incidence of hunger. A combination of the high prevalence of pharmaceutical opioids abuses and out-of-school children (almaJiri) in Northern Nigeria reflected in the violent dimension of the protest in that region. Kano, Zamfara, and Kebbi are the three states with the highest prevalence of opioid abuse. This high rate of idle, unengaged and uneducated youth is a ticking time bomb waiting to happen. However, these socioeconomic realities and sentiments often highlight our political certainties and show our fault lines and pain points. There is also the question of unsubstantiated ethnic and regional dimension to the north’s protest degenerating to a riot. 

Second is the Lagos – Abuja divide. Both are the two major cosmopolitan urban cities in Nigeria. There are pockets of protest across Lagos, and some have refused to be influenced by a massive campaign led by the Lagos political elite to stop the demonstrations happening in Lagos. The Lagos political elite worked hard to show that Bola Ahmed Tinubu was not that unpopular at his home base. Also, some residents did not want to pass a vote of no confidence on Mr President for various pecuniary reasons. The withdrawal of Igbos from the protest is not just in the Southeast. It was noticed that many Igbos in Lagos refused to participate in the protest, taking out an essential element in the bite of the protest. 

Abuja is home to a diplomatic community. Abuja civil society class showed themselves as enlightened and not beclouded by ethnic bias. The protest could not be restricted to the Moshood Abiola Stadium as initially proposed by the government but that did not reduce its efficacy. Police brutality in Abuja to some extent reduced the nuisance of the protest to public life. one take away from Abuja and lagos is that in cosmopolitan cities, no ethnic group can hold the cities or Nigerians hostage.

Third is the stance of the Southeast states and the Igbo ethnic group. The leadership and followership made a conscious decision not to participate. This may be a metaphor for silent political protest in the Nigerian state. The elites were united in framing the protest as not concerning the Igbos, who are victims of the Nigerian state. They sold it as a Yoruba versus Hausa-Fulani struggle. Igbos are beginning to see themselves as not part of Nigeria. The continued imprisonment of Nnamdi Kanu, the many seeming denials of Igbo’s opportunities in the higher political equation, the Igbo’s political opposition stance, and the general feeling that they are made scapegoats in conflicts like this are reasons some espoused as the significant justification  for the decision not to join the  protest.   

The fourth is the vast difference between the propaganda of government apologists and many ordinary Nigerians who refused to buy into the propaganda. Government apologists were primarily concerned with defending the government, its policies, and its actions. Although they mainly showed anger against the government at the centre, the people also looked at the subnational governments as a sore point. The federal and state governments put out arguments against the protest. They argued that first, the government is just a year old and needs time for their policies and actions that lead to growth and development start showing.

On the other hand, the people feel that one year is enough time to see signs of economic growth and prosperity that will inspire hope for a better future. The people argued that their conditions were worse on all indices one year after the new administration came to power, and they wanted things to change. The government also argued that the leadership of the protest was faceless. However, this is counterintuitive because the fear of the dictatorial tendencies of the government is driving voices of opposition and criticism underground. Civil society’s leadership typically boldly represents the masses’ views and is not afraid of a democratic government to clamp down on them for civil protest. 

The lesson here is that Nigerians who hitherto are resilient under extreme hardship are beginning to question and demand change from the government, and simplistic explanations for bad governance cannot dissuade them from reacting. Also, the government is throwing out a few “stomachs’infrastructure”to a few people here, and it is no longer sufficient to convince many people to support the government. People are against unjust laws, heavy taxation, inefficient systems, and destructive policies that lead to hunger and poverty. The government must be proactive in catering to the people’s needs and not reactive to the people’s actions because of failed promises and visions. 

The fifth is the adversarial relationship between the Nigerian police and the people. Although the Nigerian police do good work sometimes, the public perception of them is negative, and this affects the people’s reaction to the police. In managing crises and conflicts, the Nigerian police sometimes struggle. In this protest, their poor handling of de-escalation of crisis, crowd management, and more reliance on brute force to handle civil unrest are clear for all to see. Amnesty International raised concerns. The police job is difficult, especially in these circumstances. However, proper training and preparation for democratic-sanctioned civil protests are essential. The police must study their responses and modus operandi in dealing with this protest and learn the lessons that will guide future responses. 

The sixth is the Nigerian elite and their discordant tones. There needs to be an elite consensus on issues that pertain to good governance and economic development. The elites hijacked the system and are benefiting from the system and, as such, are not united in one voice to change the system. The voices of the few elites who are not benefiting from the system are faint and inaudible to make any meaningful change. These elites uphold no Nigerian values, ethos, or shared ideals and visions. The elite sees Nigeria’s interests from personal interests and ethnic perspectives.

A critical evaluation of the protest must be done to learn from it, improve things based on new findings and push for a better Nigeria. There is a need for a total rejigging of Nigeria’s government and governance system from federal to LGAs.  The mission, vision, policies and structures must be reviewed to put in place a fit-for-purpose system that will achieve the dreams and aspirations of the people. The government may think it needs more time because one year is too small to judge them, but the people have not seen a clear roadmap for growth on which to base their hopes. 

The general perception is that the government is placing a dangerous knee on the neck of the masses and does not care about their plight. This perception is dangerous because it is fuel to extreme positions by the people. The government should not feel that the benign nature of this protest is a testament to its failure. It may be a warning sign of a more significant revolution if the administration does not change direction. Perception is everything. There is blood on the street; we must reflect and ensure the spilt blood count for something.

Famous English singer, Ed Sheeran has shared how being a musician affected his sexual life.

The 33-year-old multiple Grammy-winning singer said he would have been a virgin if he wasn’t singing.

He stated this in a recent video message shared via his Instagram account.

“If I wasn’t a musician, I’d be a virgin,” he shared.

Sheeran’s first publicly known relationship was with Scottish singer, Nina Nesbitt in 2012.

Nesbitt is the subject of Sheeran’s songs ‘Nina’ and ‘Photograph’.

In 2014, Sheeran was in a relationship with Athina Andrelos but they broke up in February 2015.

She is the inspiration of his song ‘Thinking Out Loud’.

In July 2015, Sheeran began a relationship with childhood friend, Cherry Seaborn.

They announced their engagement in January 2018 and were married a year later.

Cherry is the inspiration of Sheeran’s song ‘Perfect’.

The couple welcomed their first daughter in 2020 and their second daughter on 19 May, 2022.

Operatives of the Department of State Services have arrested one of the leaders of the ongoing Endbadgovernance protests in the Federal Capital Territory, Micheal Lenin.

Lenin was picked up by the DSS around 2 am on Monday at his residence in the Apo area of the FCT.

Speaking with our correspondent, the Director of Mobilisation, Take It Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, said Lenin’s house was raided by the DSS.

He alleged that the DSS also assaulted him during his arrest.

Adenola said, “ Lenin has been arrested by the DSS. He was picked up during a raid on his house around 2am.

“He was arrested and tortured in the presence of his family. We are demanding his immediate and unconditional release.“

The DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.

He has yet to respond to a message sent to him.

Lenin, who is the National Coordinator, of the Youth Rights Campaign, was one of the organisers who spoke at a press briefing expressing disappointment with President Bola Tinubu’s broadcast on Sunday.

At the briefing, he said the President’s broadcast demonstrated that he is out of touch with reality in the country.

He said, “We wish to express our sadness and deep disappointment at the latest broadcast by President Tinubu which is his first address to the nation on the #EndBadGovernance protests, after over three weeks since Nigerians started mobilising to take to the streets and after scores of dead protesters and assaulted journalists from the first three days of the protests.

“ Many had requested that the President should just address the nation when the protest was being mobilised and when it started to escalate, but most of us did not know that the President would only justify state violence on protesters and journalists while dismissing the demands of the protesters whenever he decides to speak.

“This, plus the failed attempt to co-opt the progressive and radical language of the protests only shows how much President Tinubu is out of touch with the masses.“

Lenin, however, said the protest would continue massively on Monday, calling on the citizens to come out in large numbers.

He said, “We, therefore, call on Nigerians to come out in large numbers to continue these protests on Monday until our demands are met. The two-pronged approach of violence and propaganda has failed.

“The violence and repressions are just attempts to silence and control us, and the propaganda cannot sway or fool us.”

[Punch]

THE first detention of Ladi Olorunyomi was in 1993 under the Babangida military regime. That regime had annulled the June 12, 1993 presidential election, and was on rampage. She was a journalist, and journalism was a high risk profession during the military regimes. She was also a feminist, pro-democracy and human rights activist. But her detention had nothing to do with any of these. She was merely a hostage, seized by the authorities in order to pressurise her husband, the conscientious journalist, Dapo Olorunyomi, to give himself up.

Ladi had just had a baby in 1993 when they came for her. She refused to leave baby Aramide behind. So, they were both carted into detention.

However, her longest spell in detention was in the notorious cells of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, DMI, in Apapa, Lagos where some detainees never left alive.

The Abach junta has been the most vicious in Nigerian history. Nigerians were simply plugged from the streets. Public places, including buses conveying soldiers, were bombed by the regime. Also, the regime had on November 10, 1995, despite international appeals, hung famous writer Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight fellow environmentalists. By 1996, a number of journalists were in prison, including Kunle Ajibade, Mrs Chris Anyanwu, George Mbah and Ben Charles-Obi. All four had been sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly being “accessories after the fact of treason”. One of the journalists detained, Bagauda Kaltho of The News, never returned.

Early in 1997, Ladi came to my home in Lagos with the news that a mutual friend, Lemi Gbolahan, a reserved journalist who had just returned from London after over a decade sojourn, had been picked up by the notorious DMI goons. She reasoned that if the quiet Lemi, who was not known as a pro-democracy campaigner, could be arrested, then I, who was well known to the security services and military, was not safe. She urged me to leave the country. I told her, I would consider her advice.

Nothing prepared us for what happened next. On Thursday, March 20, 1997, the DMI invaded her home allegedly searching for her husband whom they knew had taken political asylum in the United States. She was released without charge on May 6, 1997, that is after 68 days in detention.

It was a harrowing experience for her not just because her husband had been forced into exile and her children, Kitan, 7; and Aramide, 4, were deprived of parental care and had to stop schooling. It also had to do with the conditions under which she was detained. There was no bed, so she slept on a table, chair or on the floor. She had no access to a bathroom. So, when permitted to take a bath, she had to do so in the open while it was still dark. She was fed starvation rations. Ladi told herself that despite the horrible conditions, she could not afford to fall sick because there was not even a basic health facility. Fellow detainees who fell sick had to find ways of being sent money to buy drugs or were left to their fate. There was a soldier-doctor who was supposed to visit once a week, but she never saw him.

She witnessed a detainee who emaciated badly and became so sick that he could no longer speak and was too weak to walk. When it was clear the man was about to die, the DMI contacted his relatives to come carry him away with a warning that once he recovered, he must be brought back to be detained!

Ladi was one of the very few detainees who were only interrogated but not tortured. However, torture which the DMI operatives called “drilling” was common place. Detainees were so battered that they were ready to sign any document or confess to crimes they never committed. One of the days she told me she would never forget was the torture of two friends from about 2am or 3am until they turned on each other, truly or falsely accusing themselves of crimes.

She also talked about the psychological torture they subjected detainees. It was drilled into all detainees, including political ones, that for them to be brought to the DMI, they must be criminals. So they were treated like convicted criminals with no rights, including to life. That way, detainees were worn out. She said: “When I got to understand that was what they were doing, I had to protect my mind against that onslaught.”

On November 3, 1997, the DMI operatives led by a Major Mumuni, alias Bashir, and Captain Daramola again invaded her home. The armed soldiers arrived at 12.30am, made a lot of noise like hyenas, jumped the fence, broke down her door and entered her home. She was seized at about 1am. They took her to her husband’s abandoned office, then around Ikeja, the Lagos State capital and, finally to their Apapa office three hours after her abduction. Since they left no traces nor any record, the military operatives could easily have eliminated her and then deny they ever abducted her.

This time, they said they were searching for Bayo Onanuga, one of her husband’s colleagues as if she were the custodian of his colleagues. She was released at about 3pm and ordered to report daily at the DMI. She was also told the soldiers could come to her home anytime and, was instructed to open the door whenever they came. The DMI also seized her bunch of keys for 48 hours, probably to duplicate them.

Six days after her latest release, she was getting the family ready for bed when an anonymous caller told her that the DMI bullies were coming that night and, advised her not to sleep in the house. She picked the kids and her sisters who were living with her, and slipped away that Sunday, November 9, 1997 night. She took the family to a friend’s place. Then slipped through the border with Benin Republic to take temporary shelter in Accra, Ghana before taking political asylum in the United States where she has lived with her family for the past 27 years.

She said the decision to go into exile became inevitable for her because the invasions by the military thugs were beginning to affect the children. For instance, the older child had begun to have nightmares about a gunman throwing him into a cell and he was unable to get out. Also, she could not explain to them why their father never came home or why armed soldiers would be breaking into their home. She told me: “At the end of the day, for their sakes, the option open to us was exile.”

Organisers of the nationwide protest against hardship, former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and human rights activist, Femi Falana, SAN, have described as the hollow response of President Bola Tinubu to the protest which was on its fourth day yesterday.

Recall that the protesters had asked the President to address the nation and respond to their 15-point demand if they were to call off the protests. 

Not satisfied with the President’s response to the protest, organisers of the protest continued with their action at the Gani Fawehinmi Park at Ojota in Lagos, Osun, and Kano, among other states, yesterday, saying the nationwide broadcast did not address their demands.

The police, however, barred the protesters from holding a procession beyond the designated ground at Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota.

President’s broadcast, complete disaster – Adeyanju

One of the main organizers of the nationwide protest, Mr Deji Adeyanju, described the broadcast by President Tinubu as a complete disaster.

Adeyanju said: “President Tinubu failed to address the demands of protesters, not even one, and it is very disappointing and unfortunate because there is no other way to explain it. ‘’Those people at the Villa cannot make the President see or hear what is going on in the country. The President could not order the arrest of people who killed peaceful protesters in the last couple of days and it is really sad.

“The President’s broadcast to the nation was just a complete disaster, a very disappointing broadcast indeed.

“Our expectations from the broadcast were so many, that he has spoken with political leaders at all levels, politicians are now willing to make sacrifices for the country because on day one of his administration he asked Nigerians to make sacrifices they are failing and refusing to make sacrifices.

“The issue of fuel subsidy, electricity tariff was on the front burner, and many other things we were expecting to hear from the President, unfortunately, none of these things were dealt with.’’

Coordinator of the protest in Osun State, Ajala Adetunji, said his group, Coalition of Concerned Nigeria Citizens, would meet to discuss the way forward but was emphatic that the ongoing protest would continued since the President did not address any of their concerns.

“Our protest is not a one-man show, especially as Osun’s case is concerned. Regarding President Bola Tinubu’s address this morning (yesterday), he did not address any of our concerns.

“The president was not specific on what the government will do to address the demands of the youth. The president’s call for dialogue is an open-ended appeal, which does not have a clear indicator of what will be done.

“However, we are still going to meet to deliberate but as it stands, the protest continues in Osun,” he said

Similarly, Mr Emmanuel Olowu, Secretary, Osun Coalition of Civil Societies, which is also part of the protest, said the President’s appeal for an end to the protest and dialogue would be discussed at a meeting of the various groups later in the day.

‘He said: As far as the President’s speech is concerned, he has not addressed our worries, but that not withstanding, we will converge later to discuss way forward on the protest.’’

Protests continue in Kano

In Kano, hundreds of protesters yesterday hit the streets in continuation of the ongoing nationwide protest against hunger and to end bad governance, expressing dissatisfaction over the President’s nationwide broadcast.

This is even as the state government yesterday relaxed the 24-hour curfew by six hours (8 am to 2 pm) to ease the toll the curfew was having on on residents.

The protesters, mainly youths, carried out the protest around Bakin Zuwo and Koki in Dala local government area; Sharada in Kano Municipal and Gadon Kaya in Gwale local government areas.

They were seen displaying the Russian flag, saying they would return to Russian President, Vladimir Putin, for help, while in some other places chanting, “koya gyara sai ya sauka”, meaning “whether he (Tinubu) adjust or not, he must go”.

An eyewitness in Bakin Zuwo, Malam Salisu, said the protesters in their large numbers hit the streets to protest against bad governance.

“I saw the protesters in their numbers around 10am. They were holding the Russian flag. They were protesting against the bad governance, issues of insecurity and hardship among others,” Salisu said.

Katsina churches were attacked, valuables stolen, and buildings damaged

In Katsina, hoodlums hijacked the protest, invaded churches, looting and destroying properties under the guise of the ongoing nationwide protest against bad governance.

The protesters earlier stormed the Living Faith Church in Daura local government area, damaging the building and stealing all its valuables.

The newly renovated church, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, suffered damage to its doors and windows as the hoodlums ransacked the building.

According to an eyewitness, the hoodlums also attacked two other churches, Deeper Life Church and Anglican Church, though the extent of the damages there was not immediately clear.

He explained that the hoodlums used Keke Napep (tricycle) to transport the stolen items from the church premises.

When contacted, Pastor David Jato, in charge of the Living Faith Church, confirmed the attack on the church premises.

Narrating the ordeal, he said: “It happened around 10;00am on the first day of the protest. The hoodlums, many of whom were in Keke Nappe (Tricycle), chased the church’s security guard away, broke the door and windows, and entered the auditorium.

‘’They packed and destroyed everything inside the church auditorium, including the pulpits.

The list of items reportedly stolen from the church auditorium includes three Plasma TV used for displaying church programmes, musical instruments, over 205 plastic chairs, pastor’s chairs, a desktop computer at the reception and a digital clock as well as a scoreboard where the accountant usually kept the church’s documents.’’

Pasto Jato revealed that as a result of the damage, today’s (yesterday) service could not hold in the church auditorium. They had to worship in their various home cells instead.

The hoodlums only succeeded in invading the Living Faith Church and Deeper Life, but could not force their way into the Anglican church because of the strong protector at the gate.

Similarly, in Katsina, the state capital, the Power of Resurrection Church was also vandalised by the hoodlums.

Reacting to the development, the former chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Katsina, Rev. Nelson Onyekachuku, condemned the violence.

He emphasised that the government needed to address the demands of protesters and ensure the protection of places of worship.

Tinubu’s speech hollow, fails to address hardship among Nigerians — Atiku

Also reacting to the President’s broadcast yesterday, former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, dismissed the broadcast as a hollow speech, devoid of solutions to the hardship facing Nigerians.

Atiku, who spoke through his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, in a statement in Abuja, said the broadcast intended to quell the fervour of public protests against his administration’s poor governance, utterly missed the mark.

He said: “ His (Tinubu’s) speech neglects the pressing economic hardships that have besieged Nigerian families since the very beginning of his tenure.

“This address lacks credibility and fails to offer any immediate, tangible solutions to the Nigerian people.

“Given the extensive publicity surrounding the protests and the threats issued by government officials against demonstrators, one would have expected President Tinubu to present groundbreaking reforms, particularly those aimed at reducing the exorbitant costs of governance.

“But alas, no such announcements were made. The President ignored the protesters’ demands, such as suspending the purchase of aircraft for the President, downsizing his bloated cabinet, or even eliminating the costly and burdensome office of the First Lady, who has been indulging in extravagant trips at the nation’s expense.

“In his lacklustre recorded speech, President Tinubu offered a superficial account of his so-called reforms, revealing his own tenuous grasp of policy as he failed to convince his audience.

“While the President has spoken, it is unfortunate that his words lack substance and respect for the protesters’ sentiments, leaving Nigerians with little faith in his reform agenda – if one exists at all.

“We urge the President and his team to own up to their failures over the past 14 months and abandon the absurd theory that the protests are orchestrated by the opposition.’’

Broadcast didn’t address Police brutality against protesters — Soyinka

On his part, Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, faulted President Tinubu’s national broadcast for not addressing the violent crackdown by security forces on protesters.

Soyinka, who in a statement, expressed concern over the president’s omission of this critical issue, said: “I set my alarm clock for this morning to ensure that I did not miss President Bola Tinubu’s impatiently awaited address to the nation on the current unrest across the nation.

“His outline of government’s remedial action since inception, aimed at warding off just such an outbreak, will undoubtedly receive expert and sustained attention both for effectiveness and in content analysis.

‘’My primary concern, quite predictably, is the continuing deterioration of the state’s seizure of protest management, an area in which the presidential address fell conspicuously short.

“Such short-changing of civic deserving, regrettably, goes to arm the security forces in the exercise of impunity and condemns the nation to a seemingly unbreakable cycle of resentment and reprisals.

“Live bullets as a state response to civic protest – that becomes the core issue. Even teargas remain questionable in most circumstances, certainly an abuse in situations of clearly peaceful protest.

‘’Hunger marches constitute a universal S.O.S, not peculiar to the Nigerian nation. They belong, indeed, in a class of their own, never mind the collateral claims emblazoned on posters.

“They serve as summons to governance that a breaking point has been reached and thus, a testing ground for governance awareness of public desperation. The tragic response to the ongoing hunger marches in parts of the nation, and for which notice was served, constitutes a retrogression that takes the nation even further back than the deadly culmination of the watershed #EndSARS protests.
“It evokes pre-independence – that is, colonial – acts of disdain, a passage that induced the late stage pioneer, Hubert Ogunde’s folk opera BREAD AND BULLETS, earning that nationalist serial persecution and proscription by the colonial government.

“The nation’s security agencies cannot pretend unawareness of alternative models for emulation, civilized advances in security intervention.

“Need we recall the nationwide 2022/23 editions of what is generally known as the YELLOW VEST movement in France? Perhaps, it is time to make such scenarios compulsory viewing in policing curriculum.

‘’In all of the coverage that I watched, I did not catch one single instance of a gun leveled at protesters, much less fired at them, even during direct physical confrontations.

“The serving of bullets where bread is pleaded is ominous retrogression, and we know what that eventually proves – a prelude to far more desperate upheavals, not excluding revolutions.

“The time is long overdue, surely, to abandon, permanently, the anachronistic resort to lethal means by the security agencies of governance. No nation is so under-developed, materially impoverished, or simply internally insecure as to lack the will to set an example.’’

Speech insensitive to Nigerians’ plight — PDP

Also reacting to Tinubu’s speech, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, described it as diversionary and insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Debo Ologunagba, in a statement, explained that the president failed to address the real issues bothering Nigerians, which is the high cost of living, especially the rising cost of food items and the volatility of the local currency against major currencies which has made planning almost impossible.

Ologunagba said: “PDP asserts that the speech by President Bola Tinubu over the ongoing protests in the country confirms the All Progressives Congress, APC, administration’s insensitivity towards Nigerians and the very precarious situation in the country.

“Our party is appalled that even though it took President Tinubu the prodding of the PDP to speak to the nation, it is distressing that the speech failed to offer any concrete measure to address the excruciating hardship in the country.

“Mr. President’s speech failed to respond to the demand by the citizens for immediate measures to reduce the price of petroleum products, halt the fall of the Naira and urgent intervention in the provision of food items to starving Nigerians.

“It is equally shocking that the speech did not order an investigation into the brutal killing of unarmed Nigerians by certain unscrupulous operatives of the APC-controlled security agencies while demanding good governance, protection, security and welfare, which are the primary purposes of government.

“Instead, the speech dwelt on APC’s counter-productive action of disregarding the feelings and pains of the people by focusing on self-praise, claims of imaginary achievements and empty projections in the face of the apparent and obvious failure of the APC in every aspect of governance.
“It is clear that the APC administration is overwhelmed and has no answers to the myriads of problems occasioned by its anti-people policies that are suffocating life in the country.’’

Protesters’ demands not addressed — Falana

Reacting to the broadcast, the chairman of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, ASCAB, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, charged President Tinubu to address the demands of the peaceful protesters.

He noted that the presidential speech delivered fell short of addressing the key demand of the protesters – a reversal of the policy of withdrawal of fuel subsidies.

Falana in a statement, also condemned the repression of the peaceful protesters, while commiserating with all those who lost loved ones in the protest.

He called on the government to set up commissions of inquiry to bring to justice to those responsible for the reckless killings.

The statement read: “If the government takes the fight against corruption to oil dealers and crude oil is processed in government-owned refineries, there will be no basis for fuel subsidy, which is induced by the importation of petroleum products.

‘’A positive response to the key demands of the youths to review the protesters could make them review their actions. Insensitivity to their demands can only provoke continued action.

“We commiserate with the families of the patriots’ peaceful protesters that were killed and call on the federal and state governments to set up commissions of inquiry, which should include representatives of credible human rights organisations and the NBA to investigate the killings, to bring to justice the reckless murderers in Police uniform and ensure that.

“The family members of the deceased should be adequately compensated by the federal government. The victims of the barbarous police killings should be identified and celebrated as heroes and heroines of the struggle for the emancipation of the downtrodden Nigerian people. Participation in peaceful protests should never be criminalised in Nigeria.”

Tinubu didn’t listen to protesters — NLC

Reacting, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, lamented that the President’s speech did not address the anger of the protesters, especially the youths, saying the President heard the youths loud and clear but did not listen to them.

One of the leaders of NLC, who spoke to Vanguard, said: “We are completely disappointed with the President’s speech. There was nothing concrete, as usual, it was all about promises. Yes, the President heard the protesters or the youths loud and clear, but sadly, the president did not listen to their demands or pains.

“What we found strange was the care-free attitude to the mood of the nation, the loss of irreparable lives, the anger, the hunger and the frustration. No sign of empathy, but threats from the President.

‘’How has the speech addressed the hunger in the land? How has the speech addressed the poverty inflicted by the government’s policies? How has the speech solved the immediate needs and demands of the protesters? “

Address economic contractions, NECA urges govt

Similarly, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, urged the federal government to urgently address the myriads of economic contradictions strangulating the private sector to enable the economy open up and return to the path of rapid growth.

Reacting to the President’s nationwide address in response to the ongoing protest, the Director-General/Chief Executive of NECA, Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said: “With the current rate at which businesses are declaring losses, especially in the real sector, the nation might be in for another round of business shutdown.

‘’A combined loss of over N533 billion by just four businesses in the sector in the first quarter, H1, 2024 calls for urgent action.

“Following the protests and the national address by President Bola Tinubu, urging protesters to sheath their swords, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, has joined the President to urge the protesters to embrace dialogue, while also requesting the government to urgently address the seeming economic contradictions that are strangulating the organized private sector and stopping it from fulfilling its role as the engine of development.”

Truckers rubbish Tinubu’s protest speech, says President bereft of ideas

Also, the National Association of Maritime Transport Operators, NAMTOP, condemned the president’s broadcast, saying the quality of his team cannot win the nation’s battle against hardship.

President of NAMTOP, Mr. Yinka Aroyewun, said that from Tinubu’s message to Nigerians, it was obvious that the President was disturbed by the protest and called on him to ensure that protesters killed by security operatives got justice.

He also said the authors of the President’s speech were oblivious to the reality of the situation in Nigeria, adding that the President did not talk about the unprofessional conduct of its security operatives that led to the loss of lives during the protest.

He said: ‘’The president is disturbed by the protest, he recognizes the right to genuine protest. He condemned violence in the protests and pleaded for the withdrawal of the protest
“He ordered security operatives to be more active in protecting lives and properties. He listed his achievements, and pleaded for more time. We are in trouble. Honestly, the author of this is oblivious to the real situation in the country.

“Who killed people during the protest? Everybody that died during the protest was killed by the actions or inactions of the law enforcement agents.

“One wonders why no aspect of the president’s speech mentioned the unprofessional conduct of some of the security operatives or the group or individuals whose alterrances and actions have the capability of fueling crises. While the President has not denied the right to a peaceful protest.’’

Vanguard News Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu’s broadcast this morning, intended to quell the fervour of public protests against his administration's poor governance, utterly misses the mark. His speech neglects the pressing economic hardships that have besieged Nigerian families since the very beginning of his tenure.

This address lacks credibility and fails to offer any immediate, tangible solutions to the Nigerian people. Given the extensive publicity surrounding the protests and the threats issued by government officials against demonstrators, one would have expected President Tinubu to present groundbreaking reforms, particularly those aimed at reducing the exorbitant costs of governance.

But alas, no such announcements were made. The President ignored the protesters' demands, such as suspending the purchase of aircraft for the President, downsizing his bloated cabinet, or even eliminating the costly and burdensome office of the First Lady, who has been indulging in extravagant trips at the nation's expense.

In his lacklustre recorded speech, President Tinubu offered a superficial account of his so-called reforms, revealing his own tenuous grasp of policy as he failed to convince his audience. While the President has spoken, it is unfortunate that his words lack substance and respect for the protesters’ sentiments, leaving Nigerians with little faith in his reform agenda - if one exists at all.

We urge the President and his team to own up to their failures over the past 14 months and abandon the absurd theory that the protests are orchestrated by the opposition. This administration has failed on all fronts, even in the simple task of keeping a presidential speech confidential.

Typically, presidential addresses are shared under embargo with media houses. However, the premature leak of this speech, allowing Nigerians to read along with the President in real-time, starkly illustrates the media nay Nigerians dwindling confidence in this administration.

The opposition did not create the economic quagmire we find ourselves in; this disaster is solely the result of the Tinubu administration's trial-and-error policies. It is high time they stopped the blame game and faced the reality of their failures.

Signed:

Paul Ibe

Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar

Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic (2023)

4th August, 2024.

Throughout history, great speeches have effectuated great change. Former United States President John F. Kennedy set the tone for a new America with the 'New Frontier Address'; Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, and other exceptional leaders stirred consciences, evoked national allegiance, and rallied the people not only by the artistry of their words, but also by the candour and courage of their individuality.

President Bola Tinubu sits in the pantheon of such great leaders who have shown rare honesty, courage, and purpose, especially through a vagarious time.

The President addressed the nation today, August 4, 2024, on the backdrop of the nationwide protests, with a surfeit of compassion and empathy, yet showed great strength and leadership as the Commander-in-Chief.

As Consoler-in-Chief, President Tinubu appealed to all Nigerians to keep the peace, acknowledging their concerns. He condoled with bereaved families, the injured, and all those who have lost property to the recent violence in some parts of the country.

As Chief Advocate of National Unity, President Tinubu warned against divisive rhetoric, declaring that ethnic and religious bigotry has no place in the new Nigeria he envisions and is forging.

As a leader attuned to the needs and concerns of his people, the President reeled out the interventions of his administration across sectors to include: N45.6 billion processed for payment to students and their respective institutions under the Student Loan Scheme -- with an additional N50 billion each to be released for NELFUND and the Consumer Credit Corporation: $620 million secured under the Digital and Creative Enterprises (IDiCE) – a programme to empower young people; over N570 billion released to the 36 states to facilitate critical subsistence support to their citizens; the exponentially reviewed national minimum wage of N70,000; suspension of import duties on rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, drugs, and other pharmaceutical and medical supplies for six months to drive down the prices, and many other interventions.

As Chief Economist of the nation, the President stated that the nation's economy was on the path of recovery as vibrancy is returning to critical sectors. The coast is clear, the direction certain, and the horizon coruscating with fetching possibilities.

As Chief Architect, the President outlined the essentiality of the ongoing Renewed Hope City and Estate project, which will provide housing for many Nigerians across states and geopolitical zones.

As Commander-in-Chief, President Tinubu emphasized that his administration remains resolute in maintaining law and order, condemning the spasmodic acts of arson and violence. 

As Statesman, the President pledged to always keep his ears open to the yearnings of citizens.

Fredrick Nwabufo is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement

CLEARLY, there is a difference between when Alhaji Aliko Dangote goes on protest and ordinary folks like us lining the streets to tell President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that we cannot cope with insecurity and the ascending cost of living.
We are all protesters. We are all hungry. Ordinary folks are hungry for bare necessities. Dangote is hungry to keep up his status. We are not Dangote, we agree. We are all hungry. Let us not argue that.

Dangote is the richest man in Africa. His hunger is for riches. We are mostly nationals of a country that has been confirmed the global capital of poverty. Nobody should be proud of that.

President Tinubu, possibly one of the richest Presidents in the world feels nothing about leading the largest mass of the poorest people in the world. He should not be angry, if he is actually the world’s richest President and I failed to acknowledge his achievement.
The President acts as if we barely exist. We are a great inconvenience to him, giving him headaches and sleepless nights. We have turned our First Lady into a peripatetic farmer whose fame now rest in failing, just like her husband, to listen to us.

Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu is consumed with television displays of a basket of vegetables that she says she planted in the surroundings of the presidential villa. It is a monumental success for her and a supposed lesson on us growing what we eat, just like her. Do you believe for a moment she eats only vegetables?

If the objective is for the First Lady to get air time, she has succeeded hugely. The deeper worry is that the First Lady is distant from the people, so distant that she does not know that majority of Nigerians, those most hit by hunger, live in spaces insufficient for them to rest their heads. Others are mainly on the move because their means cannot sustain any semblance of permanence at a place.
And the food needs of Nigerians has suddenly reduced to vegetables so that the First Lady would be hailed for pushing her unique nothingness to national prominence.

The hunger is real. It is not one that vegetables can manage. Dangote made that point with the aggressiveness he applied to rescuing his refinery that was apparently heading nowhere.
Within weeks of seizing the media space, Dangote had Nigerians behind him, in a deft move to buy Nigeria’s crude, on his own terms, for his monstrous refinery. The harsh words that flew between Dangote and the authorities were unprecedented.
The people, we, thought Dangote would remain implacable. He was beating the drums hard. He seemed to have no cares whether he would shred the leather.
Accusations and allegations verged on poor business practices. The affected parties went at full throttle at each other. The blows misses the plexus, deliberately it now appears, by inches.
Presidential panjandrums engaged full gears in attacking Nigeria’s global business icon. Dangote replied in like manner. The more stinging the blows were, the lower the devastated party went, the lower the scruples the other applied.
Nigerians became Dangote’s friends, adopting their “enemy’s enemy” as their friend.

The script that saw Dangote shedding tears, recounting his sacrifices for Nigeria, never for once mentioned Nigerians’ sacrifices that contributed to Dangote’s riches. His hunger was high voltage drama executed with Dangote as a victim of Nigeria’s notoriety for dealing with its own without counting the consequences.
Not for once did Dangote accept that Nigeria made him. He never discussed the impact of the waivers that Nigeria has fanned his way over the years. Is it possible that he forget? What would he have been without the waivers? How many other businesses got those waivers?

Dangote’s retort to his delight in running monopolies was to mock Nigerians by asking us to buy the refinery off him. The mockery was intentional. Where would a country that survives on borrowing raise $20 billion and more to buy Dangote’s discomfort? Why would we have had to buy the refinery?
Nigerians were busied with Dangote’s stories of owing no houses abroad, or in Abuja – distractions that only brought more tangentiality to an otherwise elevated conversation on how Nigeria has subsidised Dangote over the years.

Had the conversation on subsidising Dangote’s businesses been sustained, we may have had insights into what Dangote does for Nigeria. His foundations and donations, are investments that advance his businesses. They are not charity in the way we look at it.

Dangote’s hunger and anger were protested with a nudity that made many doubt his acclaimed business acumen. Who builds a $20 billion refinery without any confirmed sources for the supply of crude, the raw material to run it? What business plan did lenders peruse to hand Dangote $20 billion?
Many may be fooled. The few who are not are wondering what the drama was about, if not to navigate unconventional routes to confirm that Dangote gets what he wants.

Dangote got what he wanted. He will get more if he asks. Regulatory agencies that are famous for tardiness were thoroughly worsted in the Dangote drama.
The sucker punch would be that the leaders of NNPC and a Nigerian oil firm were refining crude in Malta for the Nigerian market. Dangote said the quality of the Maltese import was poorer, in response to the regulatory agency’s queries on Dangote’s products. Plainly put, Dangote thought his enterprise was being sabotaged by the unfair competition from Malta.

Dangote got the President’s ears. Tinubu conceded to everything Dangote wanted, with the sweetener that he can pay for the crude in Naira.
Tinubu’s government that cancelled subsidy with his inauguration speech handed a subsidy to Dangote. The applause is deafening. People see this as a right decision. Every waiver that has been awarded to Dangote is subsidy. That is the real name. The footnote that other domestic refineries will pay for crude oil leaves the question, which domestic refineries? Will Tinubu investigate the Malta refinery that Dangote alleged was doing underhand business with NNPC Limited?

Ordinary folks are hungry and angry. They will not be allowed to protest. They are too poor to merit attention or dispatch in their affairs unlike Dangote who can protest without hindrance and get results post-haste.

The President asks Nigerians to be patient. Was Tinubu patient in purchasing two presidential jets? Patience was forbidden in getting a N21 billion palace for the Vice-President. Dangote’s matters, too, abhor patience. What are patient Nigerians expecting? When will they get it?

What conditions are attached to the latest waiver to Dangote? When he gets 450,000 barrels of crude daily, what do Nigerians get? Is he refining for export or domestic consumption? Should we even know the terms of the contract? Who will determine the price of Dangote’s products?

President Tinubu snatched fuel subsidy from the poor public. He has created subsidy for the richest man in Africa, Dangote. Do we have to be Dangote to be heard? We all cannot be Dangote.

President Tinubu should allow Nigerians to participate in Nigeria’s affairs.
If the President realises that we are all Nigerians, he would be kinder in managing the genuine aggreviances that he just decisively dismisses.

•Isiguzo is a major commentator on minor issues