WHITHER TO NIGERIAN YOUTHS?

INSTRUMENTS OF NATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT BELITTLED TO A COMMUNITY OF PROTESTERS

I see the danger in a protest where there are mixed messages that can potentially be
misinterpreted by different Nigerians in different climes. First the protest is supposedly a call for
good governance, for explanation to the economic downturn but it also a call to say no to the
executive, legislative, and the judicial arms of government. Are Nigerians calling them to order,
or we are to kick them out of office? Constitutionally, when you say no to the executive, you ask
the legislative to impeach them, which will be acted upon by the judiciary, but the protest
renounces the entire system so could it be clamouring for a an extra-constitutional solution to the
problem? A protest such as this is quite sensitive especially since it is coming about two years far
from an election which is the ultimate weapon of the masses to change any government from
power. Democracy has been globally designed in such a way that every nation exercises its right
to vote for their leaders at the end of tenure which may be four years (in Nigerias case), more or
less; lead a protest to oust three arms is way outside the norm that it can be described as anarchy.

On face value, it may seem like a peaceful protest but contextually, using terms like taking the
bull by the horn suggests otherwise. There is ideally nothing dangerous in calling the
government to order and groups like the Bring Back Our Girls Group have exercised that liberty
but to describe the government of the day as a raging bull that needs to be wrestled is in itself
insightful. Such statements could degrade a protest that might have been organized with all good
intentions, into uncontrollable violence.

The intentions of the protest is also put to question by the fact that they are demanding for the
whereabouts of the recovered funds, when they never protested against the loot in the first place.
It is unfortunate how we as Nigerian youths are pulled from different directions for people with
unclear motives. Recently a group of people including youths marched in protest that certain
monies should be returned to the alleged looters and it unfortunately would not be surprising to
find the Enough is Enough protest comprising of the same faces.

I am not against peaceful protests so that we could air our grievances as Nigerians, but I am
afraid that this channel of communication is speedily abused that it may eventually lose its
potency. The struggle for any cause is a painstaking process with proper and long haul planning
and there are usually faces to the people leading the struggle. But for this protest, we only have
the legendary 2Baba as the amplifier of the protest who in clear terms stated that he was not the
organizer. Who then do we direct our questions to should there be any? In whos hands are we
placing our safety if we agree to come out? Where have the organisers been all the while our
system was disintegrating that the deemed only this moment to act?
In my humble opinion, the protest is more of a march for questions that are opening doors for
more questions without any solution in view. Rather than march, who among our youths have
taken advantage the Bill of Information signed into law by the Goodluck Jonathan regime where
every citizen is entitled to seeking information from Ministries, Departments and Agencies? If
the answers to all the questions are provided, are we all going to meet 2 Baba get it on an
announced date that we reconvene again or the group would go door to door to provide the
responses?

Great nations are built on sacrifices made by driven individuals with clear definition of what they
want with a very clear plan on how to achieve them, I am afraid that the organisers of this protest
have fed us with quite vague motives that begs the question if there are more motives than meet
the eye and God forbid we march under the sun to fan another mans selfish interest. Let us wake
up Nigerians, let us learn to ask questions even at those demanding us to ask questions. We as
youths have the capacity to turn this country around more potentially as tools in the hands of the
government, than at every slight provocation going against the tide. We should step into our
rightful place as instruments of National Development and not a community of empty protesters.