Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, was rocked to its foundations on Tuesday as angry citizens in collaboration with civil society organizations protested the sneaky manner in which President Goodluck Jonathan foisted an unnecessary removal of oil subsidy on oil products on the country.
A 45-minute flight between Abuja and Lagos now costs $400. A nine-hour ride on any public commuter van driving with a license-to-kill speed, costs about $70 – from the previous costs of $20. Ordinary folks who do not have one dollar for an under-nourishing three-square meal per day now have to pay an average of $1 for a ten-minute ride on rickety town-service vehicles. Yet, the much anticipated price hike in a country that hardly applies logic in its economics decisions come at a time when thousands of Nigerians are living in fear as a result of murderous rounds of explosion from a regional militia, the Islamic cult Boko Haram. An elected president that has long gone to bed as a helpless commander-in-chief decided to compound the pains of millions of already impoverished Nigerians.
As early as 7am on Tuesday, Nigerians including wife of the late radical human rights lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, Mrs. Ganiyat Fawehinmi; her son Mohammed; a long time associate of Fawehinmi, Mr. Femi Falana and Afro-beat sensation Seun Anikulapo-Kuti, whose father was for many years the nemesis of inept leaders who often bestride Nigeria from the pit of hell, planned the march to reject what is being tagged “Occupy Nigeria” which amongst other things challenged President Jonathan whose popularity has taken a disastrous dip.
Several sources told sharpedgenews.com that at least one person may have fallen victim of live-bullet discharges from over-zealous, hunger-stricken policemen in Ilorin, Kwara State in North-Central Nigeria. While policemen may have decided to pull the administration down through violent reactions to peaceful protests all over the country, sources told sharpedgenews.com that some policemen in Lagos State actually participated in Tuesday’s demonstrations.
As expected, a presidential villa source who would not want to be quoted described the peaceful protests as “political” and suspected the involvement of opposition parties “bent on scoring cheap political points.”
However, beyond the desire of the administration to downplay the real pickle in which it has found itself, wherever one turns in Nigeria, there appears to be genuine anger against Dr. Jonathan who is criticized for deviating from his campaign promises to avoid plaguing Nigerians with unprecedented economic extortions.
Nigerians are not known to have long-staying ability on political and economic dramas. Nobody knows yet if the protests would hold long.