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I’m compelled to script these words to put the issues before us in proper perspective. To advise Leadership correctly. And to help create order in the emergent chaos fueled by Political Operators, Agents of State and Spokespersons of Government. I must inform them here and now that to desperately seek to stifle the political space, to strangle the freedom to hold contrary opinion and to Nicodemusly outlaw the right to protest and the freedom of assembly is the greatest threat to peaceful protestation and demonstration.
That the planned protest is long overdue is truer than the reality of night and day. Yes, for 9 years the All Progressive Congress APC has lied to the people, they have blamed everyone but themselves for the failure of State. They met an economy that was working, they destroyed it. They met insecurity largely in the North East and scantily in the North West and Abuja, they democratized it, and made it a national malaise. They destroyed the Naira, they returned Nigeria to her fault lines in deeper and more dangerous dimensions, with Ethnicity, Tribe, Nepotism, Religion and Region becoming fundamental issues of State, little wonder returning Nigeria to the old national anthem that gave expression to our fault lines became prime to Tinubu’s watch.
Hunger, inflation, price hike, food scarcity and suicidal pain, anger and angst has become the tapestry of a nation endowed by God with amazing resources and riches ineffable. Corruption has risen from a high under the PDP to monstrous propensities under the APC. The National Assembly from taking orders from Aso Rock has collapsed completely as Akpabio’s Senate has become Aso Rock’s Rubber Stamp, with Yesmen everywhere.
Under the 9 years of APC’s controlled Larceny, Activists for survival have turned to Cashtivists, seeing no wrong and speaking in defense of the worst era of leadership known to Nigeria. And some of you think that ethnic baiting and threats can stop or derail a protest long overdue. Some are paid to denounce and dis-countenance a protest they know nothing about, as unbridled corruption , profligacy and wanderlust defines every step of the present watch.
They spent over 15 Billion on the VP’s Residence, spent over 100 million Dollars on a New Presidential Aircraft. They spend Billions sufficient to pay 10000 workers on only 469 members of the National Assembly. They waste our collective patrimony on SUVs buying 150m Naira Toyota Jeeps per Lawmaker and they wonder why the Dollar never ceases to beat the Naira silly. An APC Senator was removed as Chief Whip for admitting that the APC Government defines Kakistocracy, kleptomania and wanton profligacy. Yet they cannot see that the emergent protest was scripted in Heaven and packaged by the gods to be delivered by the Gen Z to a nation in dire need of redemption. Can threats by Operators of State, stop an idea whose time has come? Whichside!!!
When we thronged Ojota, Lagos in January 2012 against the Jonathan Administration for removing Fuel Subsidy, we were supported materially and morally by Mr President who was one of the leaders of the opposition then. So many of the present day Cashtivists resorting to ethnic baiting and divisive demagoguery to stifle Democratic freedoms and subvert the freedom of protest were with us in Ojota, now that things have gone from bad to worse, they have elected to look the other way thinking that Karma is numb, dumb and blind. But Karma they say is a bitch, waiting in the wings to punish hypocrisy and phariseesm. Do you still wonder why we are where we are?
Across Africa like it was in the 1950s and the 1960s when most Countries of the Sahel region got independence, young men and women are rising up and placing great demand on wayward leaders. They have refused to siddon look, they have repudiated the tranquilizing drug of gradualism, and they are WOKE. They have elected to rework and reset their nations. They are not worried about the threats by the establishment. Criminalize them for all you care it won’t stick. And they have resolved to change the ante, they are as resolute as Olympic. So stop the threats, nullification and villification because it won’t stick.
Now that the day and the moment is upon us, I expect Government to quickly proceed with fundamental Reforms and Reset rather than wasting resources on the Cashtivists and pseudo progressives presently cashing out pretending to have solutions to the Looming Protest. They know nothing about it, and can do nothing to stop it.
Finally, since the Military and the Police have admitted that the right to protest for rights is sacrosanct and constitutional, we expect them to deescalate the threats and proceed with plans and programmatic to ensure that the Protests are peaceful and orderly, such is patriotic and right, and that is the permissible minimum within our laws. May Nigeria be great.
I’m CHUKWUDUMEBI.
Prof Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr.
Convener COUNTRYFIRST MOVT.
