“We are protesting because of our hunger,” stated Banwo Olagokun, a Nigerian activist, in an interview with the BBC.
He is a member of the Take It Back Movement, one of the organizations that has called for a 10-day protest starting this Thursday, despite the government’s pleas to stand down.
“We are protesting due to the high inflation rate that has made it difficult for us to afford basic necessities such as food, water, clothing, and medical care,” explained Mr. Olagokun, aged 36.
Nigeria is currently facing its worst economic crisis in a generation, with an annual inflation rate of 34.19% – the highest in almost 30 years. Food prices have skyrocketed, with items like yams in Lagos being nearly four times more expensive than last year.
Despite the challenges, Nigerians are known for their resilience in adapting to changing circumstances.
Recently, some have resorted to buying nearly spoiled tomatoes, lower-quality rice, and reducing their number of meals to cope. However, it remains uncertain where the breaking point lies.
The Take It Back Movement is demanding that the government address the cost-of-living crisis and provide free education at all levels.
“Our demand is simply for the reversal of the factors driving up costs,” Mr. Olagokun emphasized.
Some of the movement’s more radical requests include scrapping the country’s 1999 constitution, allowing Nigerians abroad to vote in elections, and releasing Biafran separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu from prison.
Juwon Sanyaolu, the national coordinator of the movement, mentioned that they drew inspiration from Kenya, where youth-led protests led to the cancellation of a controversial tax increase plan by President William Ruto.
He believes that the demands of Nigerians planning to protest are realistic and could bring about significant change.
“If Kenyans had asked for President Ruto’s cabinet to be dissolved, people would have considered it unrealistic. But today, the entire cabinet has been dissolved,” Mr. Sanyaolu noted.
“They are simply exercising democracy,” he added.
The Nigerian government is taking the planned protests seriously, with cabinet ministers holding emergency meetings to discuss their response.
President Bola Tinubu, through Information Minister Mohammed Idris Malagi, urged organizers to postpone the protests and be patient, promising improvements.
Despite warnings of potential violence from state governors, the organizers remain resolute in their quest for change, rejecting the government’s concessions as inadequate.
“We have not even started our protests, and the government is already making concessions and offering jobs here and there,” Mr. Sanyaolu remarked.
“If young people stand firm and take to the streets, we will achieve more,” he added.
Nigeria’s economic challenges can be attributed to three main factors – the government’s decision to float the naira, the removal of fuel subsidies, and the ongoing security crisis affecting supply chains and driving up costs.
Many believe these issues have tarnished President Tinubu’s first year in office.
While economist Muda Yusuf agrees that reforms were necessary, he criticizes the lack of proper planning in their implementation.
“The policies were inevitable due to the state of the economy at the time the current administration took over. However, the president could have implemented mitigating measures more swiftly,” Yusuf suggested.
The government’s mitigating measures include distributing grains from the national reserve and providing temporary cash payments to the poorest citizens.
The economic crisis has taken a toll on businesses, with caterers like Abosede Ibikunle noticing a decline in demand for their services.
“Everything has become expensive. People are suffering, people are dying. This hardship is too much,” Ibikunle lamented.
There are concerns that the protests could escalate into a repeat of the #EndSARS demonstrations of 2020, which ended tragically when the military opened fire on protesters in Lagos.
President Tinubu’s daughter, Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, has warned market traders to prevent their children from participating in the protests, citing the violence that ensued during the previous demonstrations.
“Let’s remind ourselves, our families, and our children that there is no room for protests in Lagos. It is a ploy to destroy the country… look at how they destroyed government property,” she cautioned.
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El portavoz de Defensa, el General de División Edward Buba, ha advertido que el ejército del país intervendrá para prevenir cualquier violencia en las protestas, mientras que el jefe de policía Kayode Egbetokun culpó a “crusaders e influencers auto designados” de estar detrás de ellas.
Los organizadores han calificado las advertencias de violencia como una cortina de humo para una posible represión por parte del gobierno, diciendo que no los detendrá.
“No soy un profeta, como me gusta decir, pero una cosa que puedo asegurar es que los nigerianos son resolutos y protestaremos”, declara el Sr. Sanyaolu.
“Los manifestantes no tienen nada que perder más que sus cadenas”, añade, citando a Karl Marx.
Luego citó un himno: “Un hombre que está abajo, no debe temer caer. Ya estamos abajo, así que hemos perdido nuestro miedo.”
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