Edith CHUKU
While the Take-It-Back Movement has declared no going back on the June 12 planned nationwide protest over worsening insecurity and economic hardship, some Nigerians have expressed concern that nothing good would come out of it.
According to them, Nigeria leaders have no sympathy, concern nor interest in the safety of lives, property and well being of the suffering masses.
They suggested that instead of a protest, community policing should be highly encouraged to strengthen security while the masses should desist from selling their vote, rather vote their conscience for good leadership in the forthcoming 2027 election.
They queried the aftermath of the end SARS protest which led to the death of some innocent Nigerians, wondering what measures were taken to give justice to the deceased who lost their lives in the protest.
They also wondered what previous protests in Nigeria have yielded, noting that the protest would yield no tangible result, except the leaders are willing to give ear to the yearning of the suffering Nigeria masses.
This is coming in reaction to the statement by the Take-It-Back Movement National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, who noted that the protest was to draw attention to the country’s worsening insecurity, shrinking civic space, and growing economic hardship.
Sanyaolu urged Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful protest, calling on workers, students, civil society groups, artisans, and members of the diaspora to join the action.
According to him, “this June 12, we march not just for ourselves, but for the slain in Benue, the displaced in Plateau, the silenced in detention, and the starving masses abandoned by a corrupt elite.”
In an interview with TNN on Thursday, some respondents proposed open dialogue, explaining that protest in Nigeria is like pouring water on a duck’s back
The Female Youths Coordinator, Simplified Movement, Etche chapter in the Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Lady Ebony Nwuke-Ibe said, “they said if you try something it doesn’t work you should try something new. Protest has been like pouring water on a duck’s back, I think it is time we have an open dialogue.
“The economy is bitting, even those in the upper class I believe that the weight on them would be on the high side because the masses are suffering so their pocket too will suffer because people will keep going to them for financial assistance, at this point in time, it’s exhausting really, saying the same thing over and over again, so I will say a new route should be taken but the question would be what route; maybe it’s time we have a dialogue.”
Nwuke-Ibe noted that “you can only make an impact if you are reaching, getting to the people who you need that information to get to, so if they are not even interested in it, of course, they will not hear it, they will not see it.
“It’s high time we go back to the drawing board to know what works, you can not keep doing something over and over again and keep failing at it, I used the term failing because there has been no effect whatsoever. Do something in a way that you cannot be ignored.”
Also speaking, a stakeholder, Mr Victor Dike said, “nothing good will come out. Protest has been a decade event before now, decades ago there were protest it will only have its way as protest but it will make no change.
“Nothing will change,” he said.
According to him “Nigerians have missed the link because what the Nigeria masses are facing or suffering today is political ambushment where the masses are now seen as core enemies order than being core beneficiaries of the dividends of a good government or any good government, instead, the government see the people as their core enemy and they themselves become richer not caring about the masses.
“There is hardly any politician today that is not living well but the average Nigeria on the street have not eaten a square meal. He may not even have N50 to buy sachet water but politicians are gathering billions to themselves, that’s the sorry situation in Nigeria.”
