Thousands of Nigerians have begun the protest in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, over severe hardships and poverty that have plagued the nation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The protest, named #FearlessInOctober, has seen demonstrators voicing their frustrations as they marched through the streets, chanting “We are hungry” and holding banners with messages like “Bad Governance has ended the dreams of Nigerian youths, end it now” and “Enough is Enough – Revolution Now.”
The rising cost of living, fueled by skyrocketing energy prices including petrol, is partly responsible for the grievance. One protester lamented, “We are buying fuel for N1000, and you expect us not to come out and protest. What are we saying – we are hungry.”
Sowore Leads the Call for Action
Human rights activist and leader of the #RevolutionNow movement, Comrade Omoyele Sowore, one of the organizers of the protest, is asking more Nigerians to join him in taking to the streets to demand an end to the current economic hardships.
Sowore spent the better part of the last six years either imprisoned or detained on trumped-up treason charges mostly by the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Tinubu’s government was more lenient, released him, and let him travel abroad to join his wife.
He returned a week ago to join the protests.
“We cannot stay silent while our people suffer,” Sowore said in a statement on Monday evening. He argued that protests and revolts are vital tools for citizens to oppose anti-people policies and insisted that “it is a right enshrined in our genes.”
Sowore also reiterated his commitment to achieving real independence for Nigeria, stressing that the country has been trapped in “internal colonialism” since gaining “flag independence” in 1960.
Protestors Call for Nnamdi Kanu’s Release
Sowore who seems to have caught a relationship with the incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu has used the protest as a platform to call for Kanu’s release.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos, Sowore condemned Kanu’s detention, describing it as part of a broader crackdown on dissent by the Nigerian establishment. He also demanded the release of all those arrested during the #EndBadGovernance campaign.
“Nigerians have the right to self-determination, whether they choose to stay or leave Nigeria. We will continue to fight for the release of Nnamdi Kanu and others who have been unjustly detained,” Sowore stated.
Protests Spread Across Nigeria
However, the protest appears to be spreading beyond the nation’s capital. In Lagos – Nigeria’s commercial capital, protesters gathered at the Ikeja Underbridge, Lagos.
Activist Adeola Ilori, decried the state of the nation, saying that Nigeria’s independence was no longer worth celebrating. “I don’t have anything to celebrate. If I was celebrating, I wouldn’t be here. I am here to identify with my people and let them know that we can change things,” Ilori said.
Police Crackdown in Abuja
However, the protests were met with resistance from Nigerian police operatives. In Abuja, police shot teargas into the crowd, and some protesters claim live ammunition was also fired in the air. There have been no reported casualties.
Several videos circulating online showed protesters fleeing from security forces in areas around Jabi and Utako in the Federal Capital Territory. Despite the crackdown, many remained defiant, chanting slogans and waving placards as they continued their march through the city.
Some are pitching the protest as the genesis of a class revolution. “We need a revolution, and nothing but a revolution can liberate Nigerians from the shackles of misgovernance,” Sowore reportedly said.
However, in a diverse nation such as Nigeria, it is a challenge for the disparate peoples to reach a consensus on what the object, subject, and outcome of a revolution should be.
In the end, the day’s protests may only serve the purpose of a comic distraction for the impoverished citizens.
Comment, Like 👍, share this article, and Follow us on our social media handles.
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
