Russian Flag

By Bilyamin Abdulmumin, PhD

Nigerians appeared to have tried several options without a glimmer, so the option to try the youth is now gathering momentum. This call comes at the heels of the ten days of the recent controversial protest. Two other options were weighed during this protest: military takeover and alliance with Russia.

 Nigeria’s (or even African) history didn’t support the clamour for a military takeover. In the 64 years since Nigerian independence, military rule (according to my arithmetic) lasted 31 years, but at best, the military—once seeming the panacea—didn’t proffer any solution.

In another desperation to find the nexus, some protesters fly Russian flags. One interpretation of this antics is that they want Nigeria to cut any ties with the U.S. and most of Europe by proposing a shift of alliance to Russia. According to this argument, Western economic policies haven’t benefited Nigeria, so perhaps a different geopolitical alignment will.

However, aligning with Russia, an equally extreme approach, is not guaranteed to yield better outcomes. Has this group of protesters heard about the Scandinavian Economic Model? This model seeks to strike a balance between the capitalist extremes of the U.S. and the state-centred economies of Russia, offering a suitable middle ground for us. Instead of Russian flags, these protestants might have flown those of Sweden, Finland, or Denmark.

The search for a better headway began in 2015 when Nigerians, for the first time, voted for a leader based on integrity and record antecedent, putting aside money, politics, and tribal loyalties to some extent. However, by the end of President Buhari’s first term, the public began to have second thoughts. After his two terms, something unthinkable happened: many staunch supporters turned critics, and now, a year into Tinubu’s presidency, the failure of seasonal veterans is sealed, hence fueling the growing clamour for young leaders.

This urge for youth takeover is a more realistic option. The youths have become tired of being used and “dumped.” given that most of those who vote are youths, they now want to take a leading role by floating a political party exclusive to the youth.

The youth proponents argue that the youth have energy, time, and health. To boot, youth leadership is characterized by pressing the button; their hands are always close to the button, just waiting for a slight opportunity to press it.

This argument came to the forefront during f-PMB leadership, when he appeared to be going too slow, hence nicknamed Baba go slow; one of my friends opined that Nigeria then was in dear need of young leaders’ vitality, speed, and urge to get us out of the mud. According to my friends, a young leader would have made several decisions faster in tune with the situation and public yearning.

However, there is a crack in the foundation; one problem with youth is unity and cooperation; we always find that we want to help fellow youths whenever the need arises. Several youths aspire to different positions in this country, but the first people to boycott them are fellow youths; it will be their fellow youths who begin to mock them. This is a similar dilemma the women face. Women worldwide decry exclusion, but when a fellow woman tries to compete with men, it would be the fellow women that bring them down. This internal counterproductivity must be addressed for the current movement to get hold.

In addition, those who side with veterans criticize youth leadership with haste, which often leads to regret; this category argues that sound decision-making comes from experience—something older leaders have in abundance. They believe leadership is a process, not an event, and that wisdom is forged through trial and error.

 By and large, if the current movement sees the light of day, to slow down the haste and reduce mistakes, please let the old guards deputize the new crops.

By Rabi Ummi Umar

The protest in Nigeria has taken a tragic turn with the display of foreign flags by some Northern youths as a demonstration against the government. This action undermines Nigeria’s sovereignty and raises concerns about the changing dynamics in the world.

As the Punch editorial pointed out, the flag-waving campaign shows that Nigeria should be wary of foreign interference, as witnessed in the crises in some West African countries that led to undemocratic military takeovers. There are speculations that some protesters were sponsored to raise the Russian flag as a deliberate attempt to provoke the military into intervention.

While Nigerians can express their grievances over economic hardship, they should do so through legitimate and peaceful means. Resorting to violent demonstrations that result in loss of life and destruction of livelihoods is counterproductive.

It is concerning that underage protesters and youths were the ones mostly flaunting the Russian flags, forcing security agents to clamp down on them. The government should be compassionate in dealing with these minors, as they may be ignorant of the implications of their actions. Rather than facing harsh punishments, they should be sent to remand centres for civil education and skills training.

The media have reported the loss of lives and an estimated daily loss of N400 billion due to the protests. This raises the question of whether the demonstrations were truly worth the cost.

The government should be open to dialogue and engagement with citizens to address their challenges. The security services, too, should be vigilant and professional in handling protesters, especially the young ones.

The Nigeria Immigration Service has a crucial role to play in checking the influx of foreigners with ulterior motives, as there have been allegations of illegal immigrants participating in the protests.

Religious and community leaders should admonish their followers on the consequences of unbecoming behaviours and appeal to the government to address the citizens’ concerns.

Despite the hardship, Nigerians must remain patriotic and respect their country’s sovereignty. Raising flags of other countries and seeking their intervention in domestic affairs is a treasonable offence.

The government should realize that the majority of the citizens are against the protest, not because they are not feeling the pinch of hardship, but because they believe the issue can be resolved through other peaceful means. The government should, therefore, take appropriate actions to address the citizens’ concerns.

Nigeria will overcome this challenge, but change begins with us.

Rabi Ummi Umar wrote from the Department of Mass Communication, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin. She can be reached via rabiumar058@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced that the police have apprehended individuals responsible for sponsoring rioters who displayed foreign flags and called for a change in government.

The Daily Reality learned that an investigation is underway to determine their motivations.

The Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, revealed that some sponsors are based in the diaspora and have been identified and watchlisted.

He said that any attempts by them to enter the country will be met with arrest.

IGP Egbetokun also stated that funders of violence and subversion, both within and outside Nigeria, have been tracked, and their accounts have been blocked.

The security agencies assured that they have been managing the crisis carefully, using only tear gas and not live ammunition or rubber bullets.

He added that the reported shooting of a protester in Abuja is being investigated and may have been the work of armed robbers or hoodlums.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, emphasized the commitment of security agencies to their task and the respect they have for the country.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, assured that the Nigerian Army will protect Nigeria’s democracy, peace, and harmony.

The DSS spokesman, Dr. Peter Afunanya, confirmed that some sponsors of the foreign flags have been arrested and urged patience as their identities will soon be disclosed.