THE fuel subsidy protest revealed a few things about Nigerians apart from their resilience. It showed that apart from football, Nigerians could put on a united front to fight a common foe if the need arose. Those Nigerians who came out  for the street protests were clear about one thing -the protest was not to reject the removal of fuel subsidy per se, but an opportunity for Nigerians as a whole, to make a clear demand for transparency, justice, reduction of waste in the political system, and true nationhood. It revealed a people who could put behind them ethnicity, religious sentiments social status and put up a united front against oppression, deceit, and corruption. Muslims and Christians in one voice preached against injustice and gave one the hope that there is yet a future for the geographical entity called Nigeria. There was a general feeling of brotherhood irrespective of tribe or tongue or religion.

Some of us were therefore disappointed by the contents of a statement signed by some 28 South-South elders led by Chief Edwin Clark, which was released after an emergency meeting of the group in Abuja on January 9, 2012. These elder statesmen and other senior citizens (who should have adorned the cloak of conciliators in the impasse) trivialised the whole thing on the altar of ethnicity. Just take a look at some of the signatories to the statement - Alabo Tonye Graham Douglas (Rivers), Admiral  F.B.I Porbeni (Bayelsa), Air Commodore Idongesit  Nkanga (Akwa Ibom), Sen. Lee Maeba (Rivers), Olorogun Sen. Felix Ibru (Delta) and Brig. Gen . Idada Ikponwen (Edo) among others.  They claimed to have “reviewed the security threat posed by the activities of certain groups from (some) parts of the country, with the active connivance of their leadership who have taken refuge in cold complicity in the face of exacerbated killings in the north.” They also stated that they “note with dismay that (this) section of the country have leveraged the opportunity of the current policy of the federal government on the removal of fuel subsidy to call for a regime change. This has not come to us as a surprise because it is public knowledge that some group of politicians had long promised to make Nigeria ungovernable under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.”

The group claimed they “have it on good authority plans by some prominent individuals in the country to wreak havoc and inflict unimaginable destruction of both institutions and leadership of the country. These subterranean moves to destroy the fabric of unity of this country at a time the leadership of the country is entrusted to our son is treacherous, callous, divisive, ill connived and against the spirit of our collective union as a country.” They also listed names of those they alleged were beneficiaries of fuel subsidy fund who “have preponderance of names from other sections of the country to the exclusion of the South-South (Niger Delta).”

Much as these elders have a right to defend their son, they failed to realise that he is the president of Nigeria and not south-south region alone. They failed to realise also that the onus is on them as senior citizens, to be seen to consciously guard “the destruction of the fabric of unity of this country."

No wonder, other groups in other regions were encouraged to make statements that could break this nation up if care is not taken. The Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) which included Asari Dokubo, Miabiye Kuromiema and Elder T.K Ogoriba for instance, called for “Resource Control and Not Subsidy.” In an Open Letter to “Fellow Nigerians,” they stated that “strike and street protests that were initially cleverly masked as labour-led protests against the removal of subsidy on premium motor spirit (fuel) is nothing but an orchestrated plot by certain ethnic groups, the same ethnic groups and nationalities  that have ruled Nigeria for more than 40 of the 51 years of its existence as a independent country, the same ethnic groups that have for decades been siphoning  the oil wealth of the nationalities of the Niger delta, to disgrace  Mr. President, a son of the Niger Delta, out of power.

“The plot is to make Nigeria ungovernable for President Goodluck Jonathan; portray him as clueless, weak, incompetent and unable to hold Nigeria together...we shall no longer allow any drop of our oil extracted from Ijaw land or the Niger Delta. We are now determined to have our oil refined only in the Niger Delta so as to create jobs for our people. We hereby declare the Kaduna refineries an illegal refinery and shall take steps to ensure that crude from Niger Delta do not get to that refinery ever again. Similarly, all transmission lines feeding the said refinery shall be severed shortly.” A big joke!

As someone rightly pointed out, Chief Edwin Clark and the majority of those claiming to be fighting for their people were at one time or the other at the helm of affairs at the centre; what did they achieve for their people given the opportunity they had?

FROM MY BOX

God created everything for our good including wisdom to rule and decide. But human beings fail woefully in the use of these free gifts that they have been bestowed with. Mr President should have used petroleum subsidy removal as part of his campaign issues instead of introducing the policy at the time he did. Leaders at the various tiers of government can never feel the pinch because it is the tax payer’s money that they use to fuel both their private and official cars throughout their tenure in office. In other climes, the very day the removal was announced; public officers would have set the right example by either relinquishing the use of official vehicles and going about in public transportation or where they have to use official vehicles such would be fuelled from their personal funds. In such climes, rarely would you find public servants engaging in such display of vulgar opulence as our leaders engage in. Nigeria oh Nigeria, what a capitalist country!

— 08052868063

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