This is the excerpts on a blog post today tagged - #FuelSubsidyRemoval, #OccupyNigeria; The End Game. Posted Here: https://topriddy./2012/01/11/fuelsubsidyremoval-occupynigeria-the-end-game/https://topriddy./2012/01/11/fuelsubsidyremoval-occupynigeria-the-end-game/
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Today marks the third day of the embarked nationwide strike against fuel subsidy removal and a large number of the nigerian population have been coming out in mass to protest this policy. A lot of articles, debates, sessions etc have already been written and held on the wrongfulness of this policy. All these points to the fact that majority of Nigerians do not want this fuel subsidy removed. For the purpose of this post, I’ll tag this movement the #ReturnOfFuelSubidy movement. This movement would be tamed once government decide to return back to the status-quo of N65.00 per litre and meet other subtle demands.

The other movement is the #OccupyNigeria. Unlike the former, #OccupyNigeria movement has been brewing for a very long while now and consists of individuals, groups, NGOs, who at the very core have same goal of sensitizing the people on the need to participate and demand for accountability, transparency and effectiveness in government. This movement recognises the ridiculous display of corruption in high places in governance and are ready to fight it. #OccupyNigeria has a different set of demands not limited but including the demand that fuel subsidy be returned and lot more has stated here. They do insist that they won’t back down from the protests until these demands are met.

Observing the unfolding of events and incidents whilst participating in both movements these past few days, weeks, months and even years. I would say a large player in the #FuelSubsidyRemoval group is the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Unions, and other labour unions. With their help the nationwide strike was commenced and then nigerians were able to make stronger protests. I do fear that once government does decide to return the fuel subsidy, this group of people would peddle down and the government may yet find another way to cause hardship to the people while still satisfying their own greedy desires and embezzling the nation’s funds in the process. When this happens, I can’t help but wonder how #OccupyNigeria would carry about fighting and meeting its demands as I do believe their voice would be back to whispers. But I digress.

So far so good (or bad), the administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan which i’ll henceforth refer to as GEJ as remained adamant that fuel subsidy has come to stay and not even the directive by the house of representatives, senate and the protest of nigeria people would convince them to return back to the former price of N65.00. This is indeed scary and has got me thinking about the end game of all this. My thoughts do not excite me.

GEJ by stubbornly refusing the demands of the people has already created unrest in the country opening the nation to either of an uprising, civil unrest and/or even probably a military coup d’etat. As a move to cool off the military, I hear that their wages were recently increased during this period. If this is indeed true, then we do have at our hands a scheming government. How do the people fight back if government indeed keeps to their stubborn stance? We are probably left with #OccupyNigeria.

“There is no revolution without ARMS”.

How does #OccupyNigeria intend to make government meet their demands? What happens if government doesn’t bend to their demands and NLC calls off the strike either because government meets the N65.00 per litre demand or because the strike becomes weakened by the mere fact that people are tired and need to hustle for their daily bread? How do you enforce a stubborn government does listen to you?

One end game move is that Senate somehow impeaches the president successfully. This would mean we have with us Sambo the current vice president. I doubt if Nigeria does want Sambo or even Mark. Is the problem with democracy?

Another possible outcome of all this is that civil unrest breaks down in the country and military take over in a quest of quenching the unrest. We would then have in alms of affairs a military head of state. History has already taught us that unlike democracy, it is even more difficult to check a corrupt and bad military government.

A revolution – as another end game? A lot of people have requested that the government be refreshed. I interpret this to mean a revolution. There cannot be a revolution without arms or bloodshed. Anybody who have taken a keen look at Nigerian political scene and governance would know that we keep cycling same corrupt people to rule us. People with this school of thought, hence suggests that the only way Nigeria can move forward and get better as a nation is if we flush these people out. But I do say, that “There is no revolution without arms”.

Like all of you, I am confused as to where this is getting at but unlike most I am thinking of the end game. I would like to enjoin everybody reading this blog post to take take a stance. Are you for just #FuelSubsidyRemoval or #OccupyNigeria movement. Are you prepared to enforce your demands? How far are you ready to go? If NLC does call off the strike and other demands haven’t been met, are you prepared to turn deaf ears at NLC and continue to fight and occupy?

Thinking about this end game now rather than later would help us all.