Occupy Nigeria: Is the power back to the hands of the people?
“Happy new year” filled the air, and local fireworks kept banging in the air for hours without end. It was 2012; people filling the streets and shouting for joy a few minutes past midnight. I drove carefully, maneuvering the road blocks and people that walked into the road. I could sense the happiness in the air and joy on the tongues of fellow Nigerians, but little did I know that it would soon go sour.
Months earlier, the Federal government had set a date January 1, 2012, as the date to remove fuel subsidy, in an attempt to curb corruption in the oil and gas sector, but Nigerians did not take this lightly, and prominent figures in the President’s cabinet including the Finance Minister, Central Bank Governor, and Minister of Petroleum mentioned the possibility of moving the date to April 1, 2012.
Nigerians could now calm down, but the debate was still hot on issues like cutting recurrent expenditure and putting certain infrastructures in place. This came to a halt when the Boko Haram sect went on serial bombings – Church (on Christmas Day), Mosque, Secret Service HQ, and threat messages for mass migration of Southerners to the North and vice versa. The state of security of the nation took priority.
The President took action or so it seemed, by announcing a state of emergency in a number of states, and condemn the act of Boko Haram. The sect was not now considered an Islamic sect after the mosque bombing, but rather considered a common enemy of the state. Some do postulate that it’s the government trying to create confusion and shy from its duties – just as it did with the popular gay law.
All of these would show how Nigerians got to the last day of the year, but considered a resilient people; we still saw cause to celebrate life and hope of a greater nation. However Mr. President, perhaps hoping we could take another straw on our camel back, removed the fuel subsidy, and petrol pump price went up from N65 per liter to a range of N138 – N141 per liter ($1 = N160). This was a New Year gift from the presidency to the Nigerian people.
Well, one doesn’t get to understand that Nigeria is a petroleum dependent country until fuel price goes up. In a couple of hours, everything was affected. While some sold fuel for up to N200 per liter, transportation fares doubled or even tripled, and prices of foodstuff and other items followed. Tempers were flared and people got angry – irrespective on ethic group, geo-political zone, religion, social status, and academic background.
Although, this isn’t the first time, that such has happened, Nigerians have come to say Enough Is Enough, and are now demanding for accountability, and transparency in governance. The youth which makes up over 70% of the population have signed on with the #OccupyNigeria movement (designed after the Anonymous #OccupyWallStreet). Has the revolution begun?
Follow updates on the ongoing events with the #OccupyNigeria hashtag of Twitter and some prominent participants including: @EiENigeria, @gbengasesan, and @ToluOgunlesi.
Nubi Kayode, FD blogger from Nigeria
