By Lateef Adewole
“Beyond politics, and rhetoric, ask yourself this: Do you truly want a country where your life is not safe? #ThingsMustChange” Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, 13th January 2015
The above quote was a tweet from the handle of General Muhammadu Buhari, before he became the president, while he was seeking the mandate of the citizens of Nigeria, in 2015. It was meant to sensitise the people about the security challenges facing them then and the need to vote for a new government and political party that will provide safety.
Fast forward to now, four and half years after that tweet, has Nigeria fared better? Are the citizens feeling safe as promised? At that material time, the biggest security threat to Nigeria was posed by the Boko Haram terrorists, who were majorly confined to three states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, in the North East of the country. The rest of 33 states and FCT were more relatively peaceful, with people going about their daily lives without fear.
Then, I lived in Kano and worked across the North West region, where I had to drive myself to many towns, cities and villages, in many states there, in the course of my duty. That was also the case in many states across Nigeria, including the FCT. But today, the story is different. I often tell my friends that I will never venture driving on many of those routes now, even if I will be paid for it. Afterall, money cannot buy life.
Now, the fear of insecurity is the beginning of wisdom for Nigerians. There is hardly any state or any road across the country, that people will travel without having their hearts in their mouths. The security has collapsed in many parts. Criminals have taken over many roads and villages.
Kidnappings, robbery and ritual killings, etc, have dwarfed the Boko Haram menace, even when they are still on rampage. Just two weeks ago, about 65 people (mourners) were killed in Borno by Boko Haram. However, that was “moin moin” compared to what happened regularly from banditry and kidnappings. States like Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, etc, are living witnesses.
This time last week, the country was gripped with the fear of “revolution”. This was following the planned nationwide protests by the #RevolutionNow Movement, convened by Omoyele Sowore, which was slated to begin on the 5th of August, 2019. They planned to “shut down” (democratically) the country, by demonstrating against many ills bedevilling Nigeria and Nigerians at this point in time. They made demands for good governance, improve education and health, infrastructures, among many other things. Their emphasis was on the serious insecurity, similar to the concern raised by the president in his above tweet in 2015.
However, the choice of the word “revolution” has earned him the wrath of the federal government. The security agencies went all out to crush him and his co-protesters. The IGP promptly declared such protest as “treason” and declared the prospective protesters “terrorists”! That was actually a new one in Nigeria. Consequently, Sowore’s location was invaded in the wee-hours of Sunday 4th of August, he was bundled away, and kept in DSS custody since then. Now that the court has granted them to keep him in custody for 45 days, in the first instance, such undemocratic act has just been “legalised”.
While it will amount to deliberate self-delusion for anyone to say Nigeria is faring better than the past or we are safer now, or not to acknowledge everything going wrong with the country right now, the greatest being the insecurities. Such situation would warrant outrage from “responsible” citizens. They will call for serious and immediate action. So, protesting against all these, is a right cause. But who should champion it? And when?
In my opinion, while Sowore has constitutionally guaranteed right to protest such situation, certain factors put some moral burdens on him. In this year’s presidential election, Sowore was the candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), where he contested again President Buhari of the APC and others, but lost. So now, few months after, for the same person to begin to call for a “revolution”, it will be viewed with suspicion and interpreted to mean efforts to destabilise the sitting government. And “possibly” getting to power through backdoor. He has been called “sore election loser” by the president’s supporters before.
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Also, his recent meeting with another agitator, the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, already compromised whatever good or genuine intentions he might have about the protest. His utterances, like planning to involve the recently proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) members in the shutdown was a bad strategy, given the recent activities of that group and that they have been banned by a court order, just like IPOB. These put him in bad position.
What about timing? I believe it is also wrong, just as he, the actor was a wrong choice now. Elections were just held 6 months ago and new goverment sworn-in just over 2 months ago. So, calling for citizens’ action against such government now, gave room for questions on the real motives of the convener.
As announced by the INEC, President Buhari got more votes to emerge winner in the last election. That implied that, more nigerians who voted, preferred him, were satisfied with his performance and his government, and wanted him to continue in office. So, such call after the majority have given their verdict at the poll, would be seen as an exercise in self-service.
The arrest of Sowore, declaration of their protest as terrorism and calling it treason by the authority, have attracted wide criticisms and condemnations. It was seen as draconian, authocratic, despotic and in the manners of military juntas. In fact, Professor Wole Soyinka likened the current situation with that of the inglorious years of late General Sani Abacha. Many lawyers saw such actions as illegal and unconstitutional.
Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), who happens to be Sowore’s lawyer, has said protest is not treason. And that his use of the word; “revolution” is not enough to label him terrorist. He made references to many people in government today, who at one time or another, have used the same word, in the course of their public utterances. He even “threatened” to call them as the first witnesses if the DSS attempts to charge Sowore to court. We look forward to seeing that.
However, with all due respect to Mr. Falana and others with similar opinions, I disagree with them. This is because, the premise and circumstances, where those statements of the supposed prospective witnesses were made were different. They uttered “revolution” in their speeches only while calling on people to vote in the elections, a revolution through the ballots. That defeats such argument. That was not the same as now, where elections were already held, and winners declared. That is why I consider it as wrong timing.
In reality, a review of the content of the video where Sowore made those declarations and demands, did not portray any serious threat to be termed treasonable, except, ofcourse, for a “jittery” government. Such call would have culminated in protests that will last for one or two days before they fizzle out, given the kind of citizens we are in Nigeria, and our division along ethno-religious lines.
Also, that fact that the “engine” of mobilisation for civil unrests and public protests have moved substantially to government’s side now. Those who usually “sponsor” that, who were usually the brain behind them, while they were in opposition, are now in government. Likewise, all their propaganda machines, both online and offline, are now deployed to defend government actions, whether right or wrong, as we have seen in this case too. That was a big minus to such calls for revolution.
Whatever the case, preventing peaceful gathering of citizens, stopping peaceful protests, shutting citizens up from speaking up and hounding people who are against the government, stand condemned. It is ironic that President Buhari, in 2011, while he called for “revolution” through voting in 2011 presidential election, praised the civilised ways and manners that the government of Egypt handled the protesters by allowing them to express themselves, without being manhandled by the security agencies there. Only for him and his own government to act to the contrary. That is hypocritical.
In all these, like the Yorubas will say; “tí a bá béránwí, kí a bérànwí”. Let everyone take their share of the blame with equanimity and make amends. The situation we are, in Nigeria today demands serious and urgent attention and action. If there is anything bigger than revolution, which can make that happen, then, Nigeria deserves such. It is failing and falling.
But while trying to do so, we must be circumspect. The people calling for revolution should search their conscience, and tell themselves the truth. Are they sincerely doing so for altruism or to attain some selfish political ends?
Likewise, right actions, taken by wrong actor at the wrong time will usually have this kind of results we have witnessed. Timing is key on everything. That should also be a lesson to others.
The government needs to be more tolerant of criticism from the people who have diverse opinions from theirs. The slide into authocracy and growing intolerance by the leadership of the country are anti-democratic. Such actions as being seen in the past few years have been eroding the progress and democratic gains we have made in past years. Many of us criticised the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo for such acts but it seems the current administration is trying to surpass him in that unpopular route.
Therefore, government should learn to listen to the complaints of the citizens, assure them and address such concerns, rather than labeling any critic as corrupt, an opposition, or a sore election loser. That is ludicrous. Consequently, such people are “terrorised” with the instrument of state, meant to protect them. That is a sign of weakness of leadership not strength.
May God continue to guide us aright.
God Bless Nigeria.
Lateef Adewole is a political analyst and social commentator can be reached by email lateefadewole23@gmail.com or via WhatsApp +2348020989095
