BY UBONG SAMPSON
While in a short while of argument with some colleagues a few days after the news of Nigerian hip-hop star, Innocent (Tuface) Idibia's planned protest went public, I had made known my simple reason for not supporting the idea- being that it would have very little or no positive effect. Even when discussing with a friend on how to lend my financial support to the Uyo or Akwa Ibom version of the said protest and he tried to lure me fully into it, I had made it clear to him that sending him the money he requested was only on the basis of the friendship we share, and not a declaration of my support for the protest.
Before proceeding with the foregoing, let me commend my friend and brother, Edidiong Udobia for the beautiful piece he did earlier on this. I was only halfway reading the said piece when I hurriedly drew conclusions to his intent and points, and that got me misconceiving him in the piece. However, that was corrected when I later went through the remaining part of the piece. Back to the subject matter.
Whether in support or against, the planned protest billed for February 6th is, or pictured to be a clear example of the led revolting against the leader over what they would consider as poor leadership, usually resulting from obnoxious policies having direct negative consequences on the living conditions of the former (masses). This is not unprecedented to world historical records, as thousands of such have, before now, gone into record in the world over.
According to historical facts, the world's first known revolution was in ancient Egypt, in the capital city of Memphis with an immediate succeeding one at Akhetaten. Though the American war of independence is often cited as the world's first revolution, a Scottish born political philosopher, Alasdair Maclntyre argued that English revolution of the 1640s was not only earlier, but was more of a true social revolution than America's. (Source: www.thestudentroom.co.uk).
While going with Alasdair's argument on the one hand, I would on the other hand understand why the American revolution has remained in the fore with reason being that while the thousands of the earlier revolution events were lost and lacked the grandeur of that of America, the latter could only sustain its popularity this far because of its lasting effects, one of which is the shaping up of the current world. However, where the issue of true social revolution comes into context, the French revolution (1789-1799) passes the test as a stark example- same I will prefer making reference to in the foregoing.
It is on record that the American war of independence against its British colonial master played a finishing-touch role among the factors that triggered the French revolution. While the core internal factors like the clergy and noble class' refusal to pay taxes, egalitarian philosophies which motivated the social contract and equality theory, etc, played the starting role of building up aggression in the commoners, the final break was when the King Louis XVI led French government incurred huge debt from its involvement in America's fight against Britain and then tried to force the consequences on the French commoners by increasing tax rates which even at the former rates, were already burdensome on them.
With the thought of the six (6) pence tax increase on the Americans by Britain which met a fiercely stiff resistance and further triggered revolution, the French commoners felt they had more reasons to revolt against their internal government which was already killing them with policies that only bettered the conditions of the rich, and worsened that of the poor.
Relating this to the Nigerian situation, while we may pardon the rape that was done on us by the military regimes while their sway lasted, getting to suffer same under the very democratic dispensation for which our past heroes were tortured, maimed and mudered, is what we never hoped for. Sadly, this is the reality we are faced with, but it is rather surprising how we got so lost in the tolerance of this reality.
In his social contract theory, John Locke made it clear that the purpose of government and law is to uphold and protect the natural rights of men. So long as the government fulfills this purpose, the laws given by it are valid and binding, but where and when it fails, such laws loses its binding potency and the government can be thrown out of power. In Locke’s view, unlimited sovereignty is contrary to natural law. Hence, his advocacy on the principle of -“a state of liberty; not of license".
Owing to this aforegiven theory, every Nigerian citizen, including the protest planner, Tuface Idibia has the right to express their displeasure over any government in power, provided they have genuine reason(s) to do so. Hence, the protest planner and his party of protesters are on the right track. However, to every Nigerian planning to join the protest, I wish to ask, is this what Nigeria needs to correct its many faults and set its feet right in the path of genuine progress?
Granted, we have in the last seventeen (17) years had a woefully failed democratic system. We have had our expectations and dreams of joining our genuinely developing counterparts shattered over the years- from the very first administration that began the advent of democracy, to the present one which has so far recorded an unprecedented level of suffering, and sadly, with very bright prospects of even breaking the current terrible record. No doubts, a revolution against this quagmire which has journeyed so dangerously far is long overdue, and interestingly, the long delay had given room for the very factors necessitating this revolution to grow beyond mere street exhibitions of printed T-shirts and placard messages. Simply put, the state of the Nigerian state needs a direct confrontation and rough tackling with those involved nursing no fear of being cautioned or sent off. On this, the question now is: how ready are we?
Like the Bush House's 20 questions game, an attempt to answer this simple but profound interrogative would give rise to some more but clue-seeking questions. These same questions are what the protest planners need to answer to convince me and other Nigerian citizens seeking true social revolution against the leadership system in Nigeria- from the lowest to the highest in ranking. Before we consider joining any protest, we need to know those involved; how much the Nigerian leadership crisis under the current and past governments has affected their living conditions in the negative way; how many times they had to go to bed hungry; when and how they could not afford tuition fees for their wards in school; how many of their relatives died as a result of the poor healthcare system in the country and because they could not afford the cost of sending them abroad for improved medical attention.
Yes, we need to know all these and be convinced that we are not joining a protest of political parties against their rivals, that we are not being used by certain persons to protest their lost grip on the national cake, that we are not helping those who fell out with the power brokers to express their grievances. We need to know all these because the success of true social revolution events in the past was never achieved with the help of the elite and noble class, it was never a case of the nobles fighting against themselves, it was a case of the masses revolting against insensitive rulership triggered by series of events gradually buiding up aggression which eventually displays the consequences defined by the frustration-aggression theory.
For all I know, the Nigerian masses are yet to be ready for the kind of revolution we need to set this country right, owing to the series of factors disuniting the citizenry. Until we pull out of our full dependency on the noble class for survival and unite against religious, enthic and political differences whose embers, the ruling class is constantly fanning to tear us apart, the true social revolution dream will remain in our sleep.
Agreed, the entire citizenry will never get involved in this course for reasons bothering either on personal beliefs or on timidity. Even America had same cases where some of the native americans were against the revolt. Some were of the opinion that America was better off under the British colonial rule, some did so out of fear, especially of the then very dreaded British military force, while the rest were considering the financial cost of the war which burden was borne indirectly by the citizens. That, however, did not deter the majority who were determined and committed to the course.
Finally, let me disagree slightly with my best man, Edidiong Udobia in his point that we had missed revolution opportunities in the past. Yes, while agreeing with him that those events like the Odi Massacre, etc, were good opportunities to have taken advantage of, may I also put it that, just like the France case, revolution happens at the peak of frustration- where aggression finally sets in. Perhaps, the events he mentioned did not take the Nigerian masses to the height of frustration, but I am certain that as long as the ongoing fraud in the name of leadership continues in the Nigerian system, the said height will someday be reached.
For now, the commoners have a prerequisite and more herculean task of revolting against the factors causing disaffection and disunity amongst them. And until this revolt, whoever is planning a protest will only be distracting the common citizens who are lost in the fun of seeing a notherner's criticism of a southern leader as being borne out of ethnic hatred, in the fun of celebrating national and international thieves, in the fun of protesting against a call for accountability and/or prosecution of a public office holder and forming coalition of lawyers to offer pro-bono defence to same under trial, in the fun of being hired as crowd for political rallies to sing sycophantic praises, when they should be holding meetings on how to compel the government into being proactive.
Finally, let the entertainers spare us the free show and return to the theatres, we will, as usual, go to them whenever we need the fun of the galleria. Also, let those nursing political grievances wait for the next election year to express and sort themselves out. For now, we have the bad economy and its resulting hunger protesting in our stomach, and until this hunger frustrates us to a point of aggression, only the fight for daily bread we will be committed to.
UBONG SAMPSON (08021419939) IS PUBLIC/POLITICAL AFFAIRS ANALYST.
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