“We were sent the wrong people. We asked for statesmen and we were sent executioners.” – Wole Soyinka in A Dance of the Forests
Today all around the country, citizens are taking to the streets to protest the sudden and brazen removal of fuel subsidies by the Federal Government, thus raising the cost of buying fuel in the world’s sixth largest producer of oil. There is more: insecurity of lives and property, and a splintering country along the lines of ethnic and religious allegiance. Very scary.
As much as I want to blog about other interesting things in America today, I’d like to use this post to express solidarity with fellow compatriots now defying the sun, a suspicious police force, and an anti-people government, walking and protesting to express their grievance with a distrusted government. They carry with them a risk of government violent reprisal, and a loss of livelihood if – God forbid – the situation is not quickly reversed.
The soul of the country is once again on trial. We stand at a junction. We have a choice between a big government run by a selfish political class with a struggling, oppressed populace, and an accountable, egalitarian society where the resources of the country is judiciously used to better the life of citizens. We have been here many times. The military dictatorships we went through enriched themselves at the expense of everyone else (and several lives). Now under an elected democratic government, the last thing we want is a system even much worse than previous ones. Alas, that is what we have.
May the will of the people overcome.
1
Abi at http://YourWebsite
I stand with you KT. I’m at work so I can’t write anything and I’mm without a laptop at home so I’ll use your forum and stand with you. God save our people as they protest.
Posted at January 9, 2012 on 7:24am.
2
omotayocaleb at http://YourWebsite
This fuel subsidy issue is a nessary evil for this county in the time we are. for this country to cross this point we need to make the decision but the timing is wrong as we have a major security treat staring us all in our face manifesting as boko haram also trust.it easier to trsut the devil than the goverment of Nigeria especially this administration. They promised 18,000 minimum wage before election but almost a year later the president says he doesnot know that “his staffs” the federal civil servant are yet to be recieving this increase. so how do we trust them to implement this out of this world promises? but i no that there is a God in heaven that sees the inbetween he shall surely intervene and deliver Nigeria from the hand of every slave master.
Posted at January 9, 2012 on 8:39am.