Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has faulted the nationwide address by President Bola Tinubu, saying it failed to address the brutal crackdown of #EndBadGovernance protesters by security agencies.
Angry Nigerians had taken to major cities across the country to lament the high cost of living, hardship, hunger, and poverty blamed on policies of the Federal Government. President Tinubu addressed Nigerians in his first nationwide speech after the demonstrations. The President called for calm, insisting that there was no going back on the subsidy removal.
Soyinka pointed out that hunger protests are not unique to Nigeria, urging the nation’s security agencies to adopt more humane and effective demonstration management methods. He expressed concern that President Bola Tinubu’s recent address failed to adequately address the deteriorating state of protest management in the country.“The tragic response to the ongoing hunger marches constitutes a retrogression,” Soyinka stated, drawing parallels to colonial-era repression.
He called for an end to the use of lethal force by security agencies, emphasizing that no nation should resort to such measures against its citizens. Soyinka’s comments come from protests across Nigeria, where demonstrators have taken to the streets to voice their frustrations over rising living costs. These protests have, unfortunately, been marred by incidents of violence, looting, and destruction of property, with reports of security forces using tear gas and live ammunition against protesters and journalists.
In a nationwide broadcast, President Tinubu urged protesters to halt their demonstrations, claiming to have heard their concerns. However, Soyinka argues that the time has come for the government to abandon outdated and violent tactics in favor of dialogue and reform.