Displeased residents from all 36 states in Nigeria started a ten-day protest campaign called #EndBadGovernance.
A larger dissatisfaction with the way the current administration is managing social and economic concerns is reflected in this huge mobilization, which is reminiscent of the 2020 End SARS marches against police brutality.
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The recent August protest in Nigeria has sparked significant debate about its potential impact on the country’s enduring economic challenges.
With thousands of Nigerians taking to the streets to demand better governance, economic reforms, and social justice, the question remains: Can such civil actions genuinely resolve Nigeria’s deep-rooted economic issues?
This article examines the potential long-term effects of the August protest on Nigeria’s economic landscape, considering historical contexts, economic data, and expert opinions.
With the #EndSARS movement, hundreds of young Nigerians protested police brutality in the streets in October 2020, marking a significant turning point in the country’s history.
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a group infamous for its extrajudicial executions and misuse of authority, came to represent a larger outcry for justice, responsibility, and change.
International celebrities and the world’s diaspora contributed to the movement’s rapid rise to prominence on a worldwide scale and heightened calls for change.
The Nigerian government responded to the “End SARS” protests by announcing the organization’s dissolution and promising extensive police reform, justice, and victim compensation in addition to the prosecution of abusive officers.
However, the question of whether Nigerians have actually achieved their goals still stands as the country watches yet another round of widespread protests.
This August nationwide protest is driven by a number of key complaints, including skyrocketing living expenses, widespread hunger, high unemployment, and limited access to high-quality education.
Significant protests have been organized at several important locations across the nation in response to these issues, which have sparked a surge of opposition.
Nigeria is the most populous country on the continent, home to almost 210 million people, and it has a serious hunger problem.
The government has had difficulty producing enough jobs, which has caused a great deal of unhappiness.
The World Food Programme reports that at least 32 million Nigerians—or 10% of the world’s population—are suffering from severe hunger.
The goal of President Tinubu’s economic policies was to lower government spending and increase foreign investment.
Examples of these were the elimination of long-standing fuel subsidies and actions taken by the central bank to modify the value of the currency.
On the other hand, experts contend that the mishandled implementation of these measures has increased living expenses and exposed shortcomings in prompt and sufficient assistance initiatives.
The Tinubu administration has made an effort to solve these problems in a number of ways.
These include providing financial assistance to families and companies, distributing food help to the states most impacted, and passing new legislation that raised the minimum salary for public servants by a considerable margin.
The new minimum salary of $43 per month, in spite of these efforts, is significantly less than the $258 that labor groups contend is required to offset the consequences of the devaluation of the naira.
Many organizations, such as the Nigerian Civil Society Organizations and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), have been very loud in their threats of large-scale demonstrations in the event that the federal government does not act quickly to alleviate the economic misery.
Their message is very clear: people cannot continue to do nothing while the state of the country gets worse.
Various political personalities have responded by urging prudence, including Senator Orji Kalu, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
They contend that President Bola Tinubu needs more time to handle the economic difficulties that he “inherited,” and they underline the importance of exercising patience while the administration works to “reboot hope.”
On the other hand, discontent has already started to surface in a number of states, with participants reporting threats of violence from alleged thugs.
Some young people have demonstrated to show that they are prepared for the protest even in the face of these threats.
In order to maintain public safety and order, the Nigerian Police have taken preventative action, such as arresting those who incite violence, and they have requested cooperation from protest organizers.
The #EndSARS movement demonstrated the effectiveness of young voice unification and social media as a mobilizing tool.
However, what transpired thereafter, especially the horrific shooting at the Lekki Toll Gate, made clear the terrible reality of state authority.
The violence and crackdowns that followed exposed structural problems with Nigeria’s political system, including as poor administration, a lack of transparency, and the state’s sometimes antagonistic relationship with its people.
Will These Expectations Be Met by the Government?
The rally aims to revitalize public trust in the government amid growing discontent with the existing one.
It is hoped that the government will enact sensible policies to lessen these difficulties and enhance the state of the economy overall.
It will be critical that the administration answer to the protestors’ demands in a way that is both helpful and willing.
The demonstrators’ main complaints might be addressed with prompt and significant changes that could benefit Nigeria’s flagging economy.