Caution Before The Rage, By Tunde Abatan
In his response to a question posed by a foreign journalist during the crisis that erupted after the annulment of the June 12 1993 Presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, the Winner of the election declared,” Mi ko le to si odo ti mo ba ma bu omi e mu” meaning, I can’t urinate inside the river, I will draw drinking water from.
Instead of starting a war of insurrection against his country, Abiola chooses to embark on war of attrition by campaigning all over the world on the injustice done him and the country towards getting sympathy to his cause.
Even his political associates and his Yoruba folks refused to call for declaration of war but instead adopted passive resistance against the military regime of the late General Sanni Abacha who later incarcerated Abiola.
When the heat of the Campaign became unbearable, Abacha arrested some politician but he himself at a stage was holed -up inside his fortified ASO Rock presidential residence until death came calling.
During the war of attrition that lasted five Years, no bullet was fired.
At the end of the struggle, both Abiola’s supporters including his Yoruba ethnic group and followers of Abacha still had a country to call their own after death claimed the two leaders at the centre of the power struggle.
Today, if you are privileged to have an android phone, anytime you open your phone the contents staring you in the face portends signs of War.
A war inflicted on the psyche of the citizenry by power mongers, agents of anarchy and the uninformed youths who have dominated Cyber space and social media with clarion call to prepare the citizens for Armageddon between August 1 running till 15 this year, in what they tagged. Days of Rage.
Rage according to the Oxford Advanced Learners dictionary, is -a feeling of violent anger that is difficult to control.
In other words, the organisers of the nationwide protest have changed the theme of their Campaign from #EndBadGovernance to a violent protest which in itself is a declaration of War against the state as presently constituted.
What this portends is a clear Notice to the Law enforcement agents and the security services that they should be prepared for an onslaught to test their strength and capacity to defend the state for which they were trained for.
The change of theme is also a strong Notice to the ruling government that it should be prepared to defend itself and by extension the state.
The result of test of will Power of the ruling government in any setting is violent and blood.
In this regard, both the blood of the guilty and the innocent is in the Line in Nigeria from August 1.
In as much one is not against protest which is an in-eliable right of every free Citizen, violent protest in any form will add to the pain of the common man and cohesiveness of the state and its custodians.
No leader or government all over the World will fold its arm and allow itself to be pushed out of Power under whatever guise.
The threats and ‘bravado’ of the organisers of the protest in itself is a mental siege on both the people they claim to be fighting for and the government itself.
What this means is that the ‘Rage’ is going to be in three fronts-the angry protesters on one side, the citizens who are content with finding a way to survive the economic hardship and the ruling government which from all indications will use all its strength to maintain its grip on Power.
In whatever way you look at it, the when two elephants fight, the grass suffers.
Before the Rage commences, yours would like to implore the citizens to consider the loses in both sides after the EndSars protest in 2020 and ask themselves Who lost the more…the state that maintain its grip on Power, award contracts to repair properties destroyed during the violent protests and the innocent citizens Who lost their lives, source of livelihood and properties.
Lagos state alone expended billions of Naira to repair and replace its buildings, infrastructures and burnt BRT buses.
Yours truly have it on good Authority that the Lagos state Assurance Company, LASACO paid as much as N2.5bn compensation for the insurance cover on the BRT buses burnt by the misguided Youths and miscreants who ironically are the users of the facilities destroyed.
Again, the insurance Company paid another N1.8billion as insurance cover for the ultra-modern Magistrate Court in Igbos were raised down by the angry protesters who also made a bonfire of Television Continental, TVC, a private concern on the instruction of their leader Who was enjoying himself outside the country.
The Lagos state government spent billions of Naira of tax payers’ money fixing the properties destroyed by tax payers themselves.
Who is the loser?
Destructive protests only provided an avenue for government and policy makers to award contract and in the process ‘enrich’ themselves.
In 1963, the late Chief Anthony Enahoro, a leading member of the opposition Party, the Action Group, AG, in sounding a note of warning to politicians in the Nigeria People’s Congress, NPC, plotting to declare a state of emergency in the then Western region that, most of those behind the motion may not witness the end of the crisis that would follow.
Three Years down the line, all the principal characters were consumed in the political inferno which resulted from the state of emergency declared in the ‘Wild, Wild, West’.
The rest is history.
It is curious that the organisers of the days of Rage failed to admit that the fifteen days duration, is to all intent and purpose, a declaration of insurgency against government which obviously would not fold its hands while the Rage lasted.
The losers of course are the ordinary citizens Who as usual will bear the cost of financial and physical repairs when the dust of the Rage settles.
While government at all levels must do its best to come to terms with the reality of adjusting its Belt while the noose of the economic reforms tightens on the citizenry should be relaxed.
Implementing social programmes that will alleviate grinding poverty; restore confidence and Hope to the masses for better days ahead is crucial for social harmony.
A glance at the collateral damage inflicted four Years ago should serve as Caution to Our men of Rage and the recruits who will bear the cost and brunt of the economic and social reforms after the end of the Rage.
Furthermore, there is no magic that will suddenly burb the prices of Foodstuffs and General cost of living down. The citizenry is part of the problem.
Below is a List of properties and investments lost to the EndSars protest in Lagos state alone:
- Nigeria Port Authority Lagos – set ablaze
- Orile Police Post, Lagos – set ablaze
- Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos – totally destroyed
- BRT Terminal, Oyingbo – with over 300 New Buses set on fire
- Television Continental, Ketu, Lagos – set ablaze
- VIO, FRSC Office, Ojodu – FRSC branded cars, generators set ablaze.
- BRT Terminal, Ojodu, Lagos – buses set ablaze.
- BRT Bus terminal at Berger – set ablaze
- Lagos Television, Agidingbi, Ikeja – shut down
- Recreational Centre, Oregun, Lagos – set on fire.
- Oba’s Palace, Lagos – burnt to ashes. His sceptre of authority seized.
- Sanwo Olu Mother’s House, Surulere, Lagos – set
ablaze
13 Kings college on fire
- Many lives lost already to the protests all in Lagos and south west alone
- Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos burnt
- GTBank Branches burnt down
- Access Bank Branches burnt down
- Channels Television shut down later back on Air
- Ajeromi Local Govt Secretariat burnt
- Lagos-Island Local Govt destroyed
- Lagos-Island East LCDA Secretariat set on fire
- Lagos Mainland Local Govt Secretariat Destroyed
- Ibeju Lekki LCDA Secretariat destroyed
- Sandolo’s Uncle’s house on Lagos Island
Several other heritage buildings and private properties burnt down.
We cannot afford a repeat of such madness again in Lagos and the entire south west and indeed all over Nigeria!
It is the fundamental Right of citizens to protest BAD Government policies, but it must not be done with destructive impunity!!!
May God save our Country!
