“WHILE we do not know for certain what the future holds for our country, Nigeria, WE do know who holds the future for our country. It is our Youths. Therefore, to determine a bright future for our country, we must invest in our youths.”-Olufemi Adegbulugbe
“We must complain, Yes plain, blunt complaints, (*Peaceful) ceaseless agitation, unfailing exposure of dishonesty and wrong,- this is the ancient, unerring way to liberty and we must follow it”.- W.E.B Du Bois
SUBJECT: ONLY YOU CAN DEFUSE THIS TICKING TIME BOMB.
Your Excellency,
Asalam Alysom Warahmato Allah Wabarakato.
By way of introduction, I am a patriotic Nigerian citizen and a Nigerian that is very displeased with the conduct of affairs of State under your administration.
I write to you on the ticking time bomb in Nigeria and suffice it to say that Nigeria stands on a momentous period of our national history. Nigeria stands dangerously at the edge of a cliff and I make reference to the planned hunger protest by millions of Nigerians.
From my prism lens, I can clearly see that the pending protest is a protest by millions of hungry and angry Nigerian youths, fathers, mothers, grandparents, single mothers, widows, unemployed graduates. The hungry and angry Nigerians include the employed who have resorted to 0-0-1 (1 meal per day) and I am glad that you have acknowledged the humongous danger associated with 200 million people united by hunger.
Unfortunately, I am grossly disappointed by the approach of your office and your aides by resort to ethnic division, and show of force to address or suppress a legitimate and constitutional right to peaceful protest.
Those planning these protests are not aliens or foreigners. They are Nigerians, they are your subjects, most of whom are your children and grandchildren and you have a responsibility and obligation to listen to them as the President of Nigeria.
I expect that as a leader, you will focus on the root cause(s) of the protest, rather than listening to the voices of political halleluyah men and political idol worshippers who delight in telling you what you want to hear and not what you need to be told.
I stand today to tell you what you need to hear and be different from the voices of those that surround you.The main drivers for the pending protests are the anti-people policies and actions of your Government which has driven millions of Nigerians to extreme, abject and multi dimensional poverty and only you can defuse the ticking time bomb we sit on today.
Except you and your government change your ways immediately in a dramatic way and manner, I see grave danger ahead for Nigeria. While Nigerians sleep under the bridge, an appointee of yours, with less than 8 months in office, recently acquired 4 houses in Canada for his 4 children, paid for in cash. While Nigerians sleep under the bridge, your deputy lives in a newly renovated N15B mansion, under your watch. While Nigerians cannot afford bus tickets, you acquired a $150M presidential jet without appropriation.
We must tell ourselves the truth.
There was no single mass transit bus acquired by Government for the people when you removed PMS subsidy but 500 members of the NASS were gifted with $150,000 SUVs.
Clearly, we can begin to see the root causes of the hunger and anger in the land today, leading to the planned protests. When you say the people should not protest, are you expecting the people to present you with flowers for the hardships your Government has inflicted on them?
The root causes of the planned protests are majorly mismanagement of public funds, grand corruption, insensitivity, and gross incompetence in management of affairs of State under your administration.
It is very clear that Nigerians have been pushed to the wall and the pending reaction has not come as a surprise to many of us. Concerned Nigerians offered advice on the economy including cuts in cost of governance but you turned blind eyes and deaf ears to all constructive criticism.
The way forward: Except Government focus on the root cause(s) of the protests, as highlighted in preceding paragraphs, there is big danger ahead .We strongly hope for and fervently pray for peaceful protests. The impact of 200 million hungry and angry Nigerians has the potential of global negative impacts, even on the global economy.
I strongly advise you to do the needful, through democratic instruments to address this ticking time bomb.I advise you to do away with the voices of the sycophants and political halleluyah men and women that surround you and listen attentively to what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. Gaskiya tafi kobo and although the truth is bitter, it is better.
The world is watching us. Are we going to see policemen hand over water bottles to peaceful protesters or are we going to see policemen deliver bullets to peaceful protesters. Or are we going to see a new version of “Fake bishops” in the form of “sponsored thugs” who will derail a peaceful protest. The world is watching us.
Your Excellency, you have a big opportunity to prove your democratic credentials or lack of democratic credentials. The choice is yours and it is a decision you have to make. You have the option to use this challenge to unite Nigerians or to divide Nigerians along ethnic lines. It is a choice you have to make. You have the opportunity to use this moment to initiate measures to address the suffering of the Nigerian people or to make it worse. It is your decision.
I expect that you will address the Nation before Aug 01 and speak to 200 million Nigerians united by hunger and poverty, and respond to the demands on the table.
In closing, Only you can defuse the ticking time bomb that we all sit on today.
It is my hope that you will act as a leader and put Nigeria first.
I pray fervently and hope for a peaceful protest.
Kindly accept the assurance of my highest regards, as i leave you with two quotes below.
Olufemi Adegbulugbe
Alberta, Canada.
27 July 2024.
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