Globally, protests are used as instrument of compelling government to act in accordance with the demands of the citizenry. These protests are done with the ultimate aim of expressing areas of disagreement or support most often against governments’ actions or inactions and placards containing the demands of the protesters are held to convey the message and purpose of the protests in a peaceful manner.
On the contrary, Nigerians’ so-called protests are often politically motivated rallies aimed at jeopardising the lives and properties of some categories of individuals or groups.
On Monday, I heard the shouts of young men and women criticizing government officials, carrying another country’s flags, woods, cutlasses and different kinds of weapons while disrespecting security agents recruited and paid to secure their lives mixed with stealing and destroying properties of private individuals, government officials and public properties. I asked myself, is this a protest or terrorism?
I observed that many youth that participate in the protest in Nigeria lack knowledge of the reason for protest and how it should be done. Consequently, government needs to device means of educating citizens on how to exercise their civic rights.
Among the most saddening things that happened during the protest is “the rise of Russia’s flag” which undermines the sovereignty of Nigeria and ridiculing the country in the eyes of the comity of nations. The federal government has a duty to address this display of lack of patriotism and loss of faith in the country by the people.
Zaharaddeen Muhammad Azare,
Kasuwar Kaji, Azare, Bauchi state [email protected]
