By Oluwatoyin Hawal Momolosho, Confidence News Nigeria

Nigeria, a land of plenty, yet plagued by poor leadership. The cycle of corruption, bad governance, and poor leadership continues unabated, like a broken record. We’ve been making the same mistakes for years, and still, we fail to learn from them.

As we stumble from one crisis to another, our children watch and wait. They look up to us as future leaders, but what do they see? A generation of leaders who blame others for their failures, who use excuses to justify their own ineptitude. It’s a vicious cycle, and one that we must break.

But then, something remarkable happens. Nigerians, often accused of being complacent, rise up and demand change. They take to the streets, united in their quest for a better future. I love the energy, the passion, the sense of hope that fills the air. But, I also worry. Is protesting enough? Will it bring about the change we so desperately need?

However, the events of August 1st were a case in point. What started as a peaceful protest against bad leadership, corruption, and hardship quickly turned violent. Properties were looted, buildings burned, and lives lost. Why do we always seem to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory? Why do our protests often descend into chaos?

Perhaps it’s because we lack a clear plan, a unified focus. Perhaps it’s because we allow emotions to cloud our judgment, and impulsiveness to guide our actions. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: we must do better. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and our country to find a more effective way to bring about change.

While Confidence News Reporter, Oluwatoyin Hawal Momolosho was having an interview with Abdulkareem Abdullahi concerning the achievement of protesters, he highlights the achievements of the protesters in bringing attention to critical issues like police brutality, corruption, and inequality. However, he also emphasizes the need to sustain the momentum and translate the energy into concrete policy changes and tangible reforms.

According to him, “Protests in Nigeria have successfully brought attention to pressing issues such as police brutality, corruption, and inequality. However, it is crucial that we sustain the momentum to achieve tangible reforms. We must move beyond raising awareness and work towards concrete solutions, holding our leaders accountable for implementing them.

Through protests, Nigerians have demonstrated the power of collective action. Now, we must translate this energy into concrete policy changes and hold our leaders accountable. It’s time to move beyond marching on the streets and start demanding real change in our communities, schools, and government.

Protests have given a voice to marginalized communities and sparked crucial conversations. However, we need to move beyond hashtags and rallies to create lasting impact. We must engage in constructive dialogue, build bridges across different groups, and work towards inclusive solutions that benefit all Nigerians,” he concluded.

How did Peaceful Protest Turned to Looting?

On the morning of August 1st, protesters gathered for a peaceful demonstration, having been briefed on the codes and conduct of the protest by various forces on the ground. They were reminded of the importance of maintaining a peaceful demeanor and avoiding damage to government and private properties. However, in a sudden turn of events, some protesters transformed into hoodlums, vandalizing businesses, companies, and government properties. What triggered this change in behavior? Did they allow their emotions to override their initial intentions, leading them to engage in destructive actions?

Muhammad Jamiu Olokogboro expressed his feelings as a former aspirant for the Ilorin West PDP Chairmanship in 2024 election, he said, “I am heartbroken about the incident that occurred during the protest. It’s regrettable when peaceful protests are exploited by individuals with ulterior motives, potentially shifting public opinion in favor of the government.

While the government may not be directly responsible for the hijacking, distinguishing between genuine protesters and looters is challenging. This ambiguity can inadvertently legitimize the government’s efforts to dismiss or discredit the protest movement.

Rogue elements infiltrated the peaceful protests against poor governance, engaging in looting and violence. Tragically, this led to loss of life and numerous arrests, undermining the legitimate grievances of those who sought to exercise their right to peaceful assembly.

It’s deeply disheartening that we allowed ourselves to be exploited as pawns in a political power play. Meanwhile, the masterminds behind this hijacking have revealed their true nature, proving that they prioritize power over people.

Let’s channel our efforts into finding productive and constructive avenues to voice our concerns and drive meaningful reform, leading to lasting, positive transformation,” he stated.

While Abdullahi Abdullahi was speaking with Confidence News, he expressed his feelings that what happened on the protest day wasn’t what he thought, planned, and blowed his mind to think Maybe this country is going to be better as we hold to the future. Perhaps, what were we intended to offer our Younger generation who happened to be on the throne in the nearest future.

While speaking with Confidence News, Nurudeen Abdullahi expressed his sentiments about the protest day. He shared that the events that unfolded were not what he had anticipated, planned for, or expected. The experience left him with a profound realization.

He highlighted, “What happened on the protest day blew my mind. It made me think that maybe this country is going to be better in the future. Perhaps, we should consider what we intend to offer to the younger generation who will be on the throne in the near future. However, the protest was supposed to be about bringing attention to important social issues, but it’s hard to focus on that when there’s so much destruction and chaos. I feel like the looting and violence are distracting from the real message and making it harder for people to take us seriously.

I was trying to make a difference and stand up for what I believe in, but it’s hard to do that when there are people around me causing harm and destruction. I hope that we can find a way to make our voices heard without resorting to violence and looting.

We need to work together to create positive change, not tear each other apart. I am sad that the protest turned out this way and I hope that we can do better in the future.”

Expert Perspectives

At the moment of gathering this report, I had the opportunity to connect with Doctor Sanusi Lafiagi, an Islamic scholar at Al-Hikmah university, multifaceted professional with expertise as a writer, lecturer, counselor, and observer of human activities. His distinctive perspective and profound understanding of the complexities of the situation greatly enriched our conversation.

According to Dr. Sanusi Lafiagi, he claimed, “It is essential to recognize that protests are a democratic right of citizens, enshrined in the Nigerian constitution. When citizens feel that their concerns are not being addressed by the government, they have the right to peaceful assembly and protest. However, recent events have shown that achieving peaceful protests in our continent is nearly impossible.

The reason for this is that most protests have been hijacked by miscreants, who use them as an opportunity to unleash mayhem on peaceful citizens. The recent protests during the #EndSARS and #Badgovernance movement are a prime example, where lives were lost, properties were looted, and private businesses were destroyed.

As a scholar of Islam, I advise citizens that while they have the right to peaceful assembly and protest, it is not advisable given the outcome of recent events. For protests to be fruitful and peaceful, they should be conducted by registered bodies, associations, and societies with known leaders. These bodies, such as the NUT and ASUU, have well-structured demands and leaders who meet with government delegates to review their demands.

Protests without leaders, well-structured demands, and agreements can never achieve desirable results and can never be peaceful. The recent protests have shown a significant amount of property was looted and destroyed in many states. However, in some cases, like Lagos, no life was lost, and no police stations were looted. This was just luck.

Instead of protests, citizens should organize themselves into societies, associations, and organizations with well-structured demands and leaders who can meet with governments to present their demands. This approach has proven to be effective, as seen in the energy protest, where the minimum wage was reviewed upwardly without any loss of life or destruction of businesses.

Ultimately, citizens must understand that protests do not bring the needed results in most cases. The best way to effect change is to organize and present demands to the government, wait for them to implement changes within a given timeframe.”

Also, Dr. Muraina M Kehinde, who is also a lecturer at Al-Hikmah university in the department political science, he explained, “The protests in Nigeria brought attention to important social issues, but in terms of concrete change, I am not sure much has been accomplished. The protests highlighted issues like corruption, poverty, and inequality. However, the government’s response has been inadequate, and many of these issues persist.

The movement was decentralized, but some key figures emerged as leaders. However, it’s essential to note that the protests were not solely driven by one individual or group. Unfortunately, some individuals do exploit protests for personal benefits. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to recognize that many protesters are genuine and want positive change.

Many Nigerians are skeptical about the effectiveness of protests. They see protests as a way to express frustration but doubt whether it leads to meaningful change. To prevent protests from being hijacked by individuals with personal gain motives, it’s essential to promote transparency, accountability, and grassroots leadership within protest movements. Additionally, the government must address the root causes of protests, such as poverty and inequality.”

Oluwatoyin Hawal Momolosho is a dedicated journalist working with Confidence News, committed to shedding light on pressing issues affecting communities nationwide.