The cries of hunger, poverty, desperation, and fear about the immediate future had been growing in volume for many months until it was reaching a crescendo that was carrying over across to even Nigerians in the diaspora; and still, it appeared that the Nigerian leaders, who many believed had all the instruments to assuage the people’s cries, were acting, or pretending to be deaf.
It was this apparent uncaring attitude towards the people that had erupted into intense agitations to hold protests all across the country; the pains and now anger of the people have been riled up further by the seeming continued extravagance of the leaders; the calls for protests quickly turned into provoked incitements with incendiary words introduced into the rallying cries… from the purposeful tags of End Bad Governance, into “Days of Rage”…
Over the last year, Nigeria has grappled with many challenges including widespread hunger, economic crisis, and alleged mismanagement of scarce resources. And so it was a matter of time before citizens pushed back and said enough is enough. This gave birth to the #EndBadGovernance slogan which quickly garnered momentum on social media and on August 1, 2024 Nigerians took to the streets in a bold cry for change.
Regardless of differing viewpoints on the protests, it is evident that Nigerians are expressing their frustration with the system and are determined to push for reform. RootsTV has collated a comprehensive overview of the protests and surrounding events that have unfolded over the past 7 days, across Nigeria.
The government’s insufficient response to Nigeria’s critical issues has intensified widespread discontent and disenchantment among the populace. President Tinubu’s administration has repeatedly urged citizens to endure hardships, while the political elite indulges in opulence, seemingly disregarding the suffering of the people. Examples include the acquisition of a new presidential aircraft, extensive spending on renovating the Vice President’s unoccupied residence, and maintaining the largest cabinet since 1999. The country’s infrastructure remains in disarray, evident through dilapidated roads, inadequate healthcare services, and limited access to quality education. The call for protests was organized via social media using the hashtag #EndBadGovernance and inspired by the recent success of protesters in Kenya, who forced the government there to scrap plans to increase taxes.
In the days leading up to August 1st, Military personnel, The Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp NSCDC were on high alert warning citizens not to allow miscreants to hijack the protests. Traditional religious leaders were also weaponized to alter the protest’s trajectory.
The protest started on August 1st as stipulated there was a massive turnout with numerous Nigerians filling the streets in cities nationwide, united in their call for improved governance and an eradication of corruption. The protesters mobilized to express their grievances and advocate for a brighter tomorrow.
Nigerians across various states flooded the streets to express their anger and grievances against the government. From Lagos to the nation’s capital, Abuja, to Port Harcourt in the southeast to Kano in the north, a diverse assembly of protesters, of all ages, students, laborers, and professionals, carried signs and banners proclaiming messages such as ‘Enough is Enough’, ‘The Cost of Living Has Exceeded the Living’, ‘End Corruption and Bad Governance’, ‘Revamp Nigeria, Education Is A Right, Not A Privilege’ among others.
Despite initial fears of violence and intimidation, the first day of the protests remained largely peaceful, with security forces maintaining a watchful presence. In some cities, protesters were seen offering food and water to police officers, and vice-versa, symbolizing their shared desire for a better Nigeria.
By day two of the protests, things took a turn for the worst, the largely peaceful movement was taken over by political elements and anarchists. This happened mostly in the northern states of Kano, Borno, Katsina, Kaduna, Jigawa, and Yobe, where the state governors were forced to impose curfews. It was also glaring that the Southeastern states would not be participating in the solidarity march. The X platform was agog with chants of betrayal. @ShehuSani for example took to his X account to call out the Igbos for not joining the protests. While South-South states like Rivers, Edo, and Delta mildly participated.
It was obvious that the North had gotten the clarion call and ran with it in a different direction. The protests became chaotic and bloody in the northern states mentioned earlier it took willful force from the military to quell the storm. This was bound to happen at some point because of the difference in poverty, hunger, and out-of-school children’s data respectively between the North and the South. Mostly exacerbated by their leaders who persistently refuse to do anything to better the lot of their people. This high rate of idle, unengaged, and uneducated youth is a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
By day 4 of the protests and after several calls for the president to address the nation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu addressed the country. While reiterating his administrative achievement, he emphasized certain policies that cannot be reversed and urged protesters to join hands with him on his renewed hope agenda. The highly anticipated speech on the #EndBadGovernance movement elicited varied reactions, with some criticizing the perceived lack of empathy, others feeling the protesters’ demands were not adequately addressed, and some remaining indifferent. A notable letdown for many was the absence of an announcement regarding the reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit—a return to the era of fuel subsidy.
By Day 5, the agitations had fizzled out, with protesters losing momentum due to a significant decline in coordination and participation. The once-vibrant demonstrations dwindled as the numbers fell short of expectations, undermining the movement’s impact and effectiveness.
In a bid to give the protest a last-minute push for the protest to gather momentum after days of initial failures, some of the protest organizers called for a million march protests on the 10th of August, a move that also failed, as many people refused to come out to participate.
The lack of coordination gave security forces the edge to nip it in the bud and deter many from joining the protest. The protests could have made a significant impact if coordinated properly, as observed in the early stage of the Kenyan protest, but lack of leadership, political consideration, meddling, and violence halted the trajectory of the protest.
Despite the #EndBadGovernance movement tragically failing to achieve its anticipated outcomes, leaving many disillusioned and questioning the effectiveness of the protest in addressing the governance issues it sought to confront, one thing is clear; there is a shift in the mindset of Nigerians, who, tired of enduring severe hardships, are now challenging and demanding more from the government. Merely offering superficial explanations for poor governance no longer pacifies them. Neither does the distribution of palliative benefits to a select few.
Whether it is cheaper grains or student loan packages the populace is rallying against unjust regulations, excessive taxation, ineffective systems, and detrimental policies that perpetuate hunger and poverty. The government must proactively address the people’s needs rather than reactively responding to their actions due to unfulfilled promises and aspirations.