Gunpowder, the earliest known chemical explosive used as a propellant in firearms is one of the ironies of life, having been discovered accidentally in the 9th century CE by Chinese monks; who were rather seeking a life-extending elixir. In the earliest days, gunpowder was stored in a keg and kept safe in a place where it would not be exposed to fire and undue human interaction. Hence, the metaphor “sitting on a keg of gunpowder” referring to a potentially explosive or volatile situation, such as political tensions, social unrest, or personal conflicts that have the potential of escalating into something much bigger and more destructive.
One year and two months after Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed Nigeria’s presidency, the metaphor best describes the nation, the way events are playing out. Monday, August 5, 2024, Day 5 of the much-touted protest, ’10 Days of Rage’, hashtag #EndBadGovernance, supposedly against hunger and economic tough times Nigeria is currently going through, is already looking like something else.
In Kano for instance, the emirate quagmire has mixed with the protest. And someone somewhere is using Kano to send clandestine signals. The protest was also promoted as an action going nationwide, but the Southeast suspiciously kept quiet when it kicked off. There’s no gainsaying that Nigerian economic situation is biting as it is, it is, very much so, indeed. Therefore, there’s justification and reason for the protest, one will say. And the president has addressed the nation, calling for calm and patience, while reeling out the list of the achievements of his reforms so far, with a promise of el-dorado soon. But the protesters are not satiated, and protests not abating.
Curiously, the clarion call for the protest started as #EndEFCC on X (twitter) in the fashion of #EndSARS, sometime in June, following the infamous Akure incident where EFCC bursted what they claimed was a ‘Yahoo Boys’ party in a hotel, which they said was the intel they got. Even there was a protest to the government house in Akure to that effect. But it did not go nationwide, though it continued online. All of a sudden, it changed to #EndBadGovernance, apparently as serpentine elite, always waiting on the flanks for any situation they can exploit, saw the opportunity of it and moved in.
In a country where average citizens and the elite alike, are lawless and will cheat the system to have their way. A society where an ordinary person will redefine a corrupt act as opportunity, connection, or grace and aid the elite to perpetuate it; once he’s a beneficiary. A nation where countless people want to use perfect utilities, but are not comfortable paying the bills. A place where the citizenry wants a sane clime, but finds it difficult to function in an organised civil environment. What exactly do you expect? Sadly enough, Nigerians as a people do not do soul-searching, not at all. They will rather play the blame-game and look for a scape-goat to punish, a sacrificial lamb to slaughter, someone to call out and point accusing fingers at. Unfortunately, there’s always the person of the sitting president, whom everyone can turn around to blame, when the society faces the reality of the monster, all have contributed breeding. A blame-game syndrome that has been in the Nigerian body politic from its foundation.
Since the days of Goodluck Jonathan, celebrated economic analysts and policy formulators have canvassed the removal of fuel subsidy arguing that it is too soiled in corruption and the petroleum industry cabal has fed fat on it, for too long. The same analysts have also vilified the two-tier foreign exchange market, that CBN and banking sector cartel only feed fat on Nigeria’s commonwealth via the black market, round-tripping and all. That, it is also soiled in corruption. So, what then is strange?
In the 2023 electioneering campaign, with the exception of Rabiu Kwankwaso, all the major presidential candidates including Tinubu, now president, Atiku and Obi vowed to remove the fuel subsidy if elected into office. All Nigerians heard them and every Nigerian had a fair idea of what to expect, on fuel subsidy at least; even as subsidy has been removed long ago on diesel, gas and kerosene, leaving only PMS (petrol). It is even common knowledge that Buhari administration did not make provision for PMS subsidy beyond the end of May when they handed over. But what’s new? Yes, Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy the very day he was being sworn into office leading to the price of fuel skyrocketing instantly, likewise the prices of food items, household products and general goods at large. Some people fault him that he should have waited and settled down in office first, but ask them when would have been the best time. They don’t have a definite answer.
Nevertheless, tenure of office is a race, and in a race, rules apply right from the very start.Yes, there’s hunger in the country with prices of food items not readily within reach. And everyone is calling on Mr. President to urgently find a solution. Some demand large-scale importation of rice, wheat, beverages, dairy, poultry and livestock products among others. They will not listen that a nation which does not grow her own food and breed her own livestock cannot stand strong. But they will still blame the president when the few large-scale farms, and companies in food and agriculture value-chain left in the country, close shop eventually following the influx of foreign food products. Too bad the state governors pretend as if they are helpless, and all the problems and solutions lie with the president, whereas they should be more responsible for food security than the president.
By the provision of Land Use Act of 1978, power is vested in state governors to hold all the land in their state in trust, for the citizenry. Hence, the certificate of occupancy or governor’s consent you need to validate the ownership of your land. With the exception of a few in the North, how many governors promote large-scale farming in their states, yet they have ministries and commissioners for agriculture. Charles Soludo, governor of Anambra State, just started calling on his citizens to go to farm. Lagos has a rice mill in Imota, in Ikorodu axis, but Eko Rice is not readily available in the market. Definitely, the protest is strategically manipulated from diverse fronts and emotively touted on hunger and economic hardship for the buy-in of the innocent populace, not seeing beyond what is made public. But it is not far-fetched seeing beyond the facade, down to the complex ulterior motives, economic sabotage and political machinations at play. All chorusing the same verse, but each having their specific agenda.
On the crime front are cyberfraud generation who want to make stinking money, live big and roam free, on other people’s sweat. #EndEFCC is a crucial part of their own demand in the ongoing protest. Next, the violent criminals always waiting in the flanks, looking out 24-7 for something to snap, for them to move in and unleash mayhem. They want situations to exploit, to burn down police stations and courts where they have pending cases. They want to compromise the prisons, for their partners-in-crime behind bars to escape and run. On the sabotage front are the subsidy beneficiaries; the old, the new and the aspiring. From the NNPC cabal, their likes in affiliate agencies, the oil majors, independent marketers and fuel smugglers. The civil service cartel harbouring ghost workers and engaging in salary racketeering, among other ills.
A case-study is the runaway federal civil service worker, now London taxi driver who confessed to BBC after he was unveiled. Many have ‘japaed’ but still earn salary back home and share with their cohorts. Ask around, civil service cartel never want reforms and they will do anything to kill it. The banking sector cabal who makes illicit wealth from the rot in the FX market, all of whom the government is trying day and night to dislodge and beat to their game. Have you ever wondered why banks declare multi-billion-naira profits year-on-year, but it does not reflect in the overall economy of the country? Have you paused to ask who and who own the jaw-dropping mansions you see across Nigerian cities, including the multi-million-naira wonder-on-wheels on the streets; and where they get the money?
Even if you can’t imagine the evil of foreign exchange manipulations, at least, you know how difficult it is getting mint naira notes from the bank, and you see people hawking Naira at 100,000 mints for 120,000 value, at motor parks, parties and so on. Imagine one million occasions all over Nigeria in one week, and assume an average of 100,000-naira exchanged for the value of 120,000-naira in each place all over. That’s stinking 20 billion naira, diffused from our common wealth into the pockets of a few individuals across board, with no actual economic productivity; in only one week. Many ills over the years, put together, push Nigeria into the sinking hole she is today. The judiciary has played games with anti-corruption battle for so long. Peter Odili, a former governor of Rivers State, for instance, after holding public office for eight years, sought and got a bizarre perpetual injunction at the Supreme Court that no court or any anti-corruption agency can try him nor is he accountable. In a democracy! Deziani, a former petroleum minister, ran the petroleum industry like a private estate for six years; and when it was time to give account of her tenure of office, she ran away. God knows how many have shamelessly acted fainting in court or before probe panels, just to cover up their shady deals and dirty lives.
Yahaya Bello, immediate past governor of Kogi State, is now running from pillar to post, hiding from his own shadow. But, all the blames for whatever is gone wrong, as far back as sixty-four years of Nigeria’s independence, is now the fault of Tinubu.The political elite knows it, but to them, everything is politics and politics is everything. So, no wonder Atiku Abubakar backs the protesters despite the wanton destruction and frightening loss of lives in the North, all in day one. And Peter Obi too shares the same sentiment. Both Atiku, serial presidential aspirant since 2007, and Peter Obi, supernova 2023 presidential aspirant, want Bola Tinubu to be so unpopular with the masses, to put them at advantage against him in 2027. Politics is war in subtle form.
Add to the list, those who had banked on being part of Tinubu administration, but missed, including those jolted that FCT ministerial slot went south for the first time since 1979, after Mobolaji Ajose-Adeogun, when FCT was still on the drawing board. Include the disgruntled elements among the state governors smarting from losing the local government autonomy battle.Then, the self-seeking activists who probably have ways they exploit the situation to suit their various personal agendas, or maybe they just like winking in the dark, or hiding behind a finger just to be politically correct, or relevant, or at least trend on social media. The likes of Omoyele Sowore, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, Dele Momodu, Deji Adeyanju, Isaac Fayose, Charlie Boy and Ugo Egbujo, among others. Like a relay race, they jump on it and take the baton any time some weird elements make noise.
Sowore jumped on #EndSARS with his cry of #RevolutionNow but they sent him back. He is doing the same thing this time around. Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa appointed himself the known face of ‘10 Days of Rage’ but they asked him to shut up when he called for dialogue. Dele Momodu has taken over from OBJ, as the open-letter writer of Nigeria. Charlie Boy and Ugo Egbujo stoke the fire on social media. Deji Adeyanju is out on the street, as Isaac Fayose posts videos per second. All of the players in this scenario toy with the fate of Nigeria as a nation, politicking on a keg of gunpowder.
Mind you, the argument here is not that Bola Ahmed Tinubu is blameless, or faultless. No! Not at all. He has his blames, he has his faults, and it is necessary to look at them. But this piece is single-minded and the next one this Thursday, by God’s grace, will look at the side of Mr. President himself.
Keep in touch… keep connecting the dots
