Planned nationwide protest: Finding peaceful pathways (I) By Prof. O.E Bassey

“The truth is, you cannot step on the tail of a dog, even as its owner, and expect it not to bark at you. The pain from the pressing of its tail so hardly will make it blurt out and blurt out loudly. Nigerians have been pressed and you naturally expect a push back when their backs are against the wall. This is the push back being couched in a protest, but the question is: how much of a peaceful route is a protest at this moment? “

The past fourteen months of the current administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have not only left a lot to be desired but also reminded us of the long gap we have to fill to be where we want to be as a people. From economic hardship to inflation, to fuel subsidy removal, to business breakdowns, to minimum wage imbroglio, these and a few others have characterized the Tinubu administration and have significantly led to widespread dissatisfaction and resentment among a large portion of Nigerians.

Day by day, the annoyance with the state of affairs in the country when you go to the market, when you take public transport, when you have to buy drugs, and when you have to provide for basic human needs, keeps growing at an alarming rate, with most of Nigerians now exhausted from folding their hands and watching their country become harder and harder to live in every passing hour. To this end, the youths have decided to hit the streets in protestation of the acute hunger and hardship in the land, wanting the federal government to take drastic steps to alleviate the suffering in the land.

In times past, we have had protests in their numbers in the country with some peaceful and others violent, some yielding its results and others leaving you wondering what were the objectives behind them. Oftentimes, these protests that morph into violence get to be hijacked by ill-minded individuals who pounce on such civil movements to perpetrate their heinous agenda such as looting, robbery, killings, and upending a just cause for their selfish gains. This is always the fear around protests in Nigeria with the #Endsars still very fresh in our memory and the ruins that came with it.

August 1-10 has been fixed for yet another nationwide protest to get the attention of the government more seriously to address the hardship pervasive in the country. Already, there have been calls from different quarters, advocating that Nigerians take the path of peace and dialogue rather than protest that have brought more harm than good to the general public if history is to be regarded.

The truth is, you cannot step on the tail of a dog, even as its owner, and expect it not to bark at you. The pain from the pressing of its tail so hardly will make it blurt out and blurt out loudly. Nigerians have been pressed and you naturally expect a push back when their backs are against the wall. This is the push back being couched in a protest, but the question is: how much of a peaceful route is a protest at this moment?

Advertisement

While I acknowledge that sometimes, the attention of the Nigerian government to seeing how dire a change needs to be done requires taking strong actions like protest, it does not necessarily mean violence or a do-or-die demonstration. In fact, in time past with all due respect to Nigerians and the security agencies who have peace in mind and are ready to pursue during the course of protests, some elements in the society still find a way to engage in such civil cause and disrupts it for their gains. Therefore, with this consistent result, it is in my professional judgment, that other pathways to register our grievances and get the government to actionable solutions be explored firstly, before even thinking of protests.

I propose a peaceful and constructive dialogue with the government as the first route towards engendering the results we aim to see. There is so much dialogue can give that sometimes, protests won’t be able to give, but rather take from us. So in essence, I will suggest a body of representatives with members judiciously selected to interface with the government and bring before it proposals and pain points the people are clamouring for solutions. This dialogue, for transparency, can be telecast with the whole nation in full watch to ensure that there is no compromise at any chain of the movement.  With this, I believe the government and the people can reach a solid understanding and actionable solutions to the problems laid out. A monitoring team can thereafter be set up to ensure that the solutions are carried out as and when planned. With this, the human, infrastructural and capital cost of a nationwide protest is boycotted with a lot saved and almost equal result achieved. That is the power of dialogue as a key for conflict resolution and peace leadership.

In this light, I Introduce to you a Peace Leadership campaign currently being run at NISSI Institute which will be marking its 20th anniversary in October. The campaign themed: How Peace Reverses Economic Hardship and Brings Poverty Under Control, is opened to the general public and will take place across five major cities in Nigeria namely: Lagos, Abuja, Owerri, Port Harcourt and Uyo. ‘

The Southwest caucus takes place on Friday, 26th July in Ikeja, Lagos

The Northern caucus takes place on Friday, 11th August in FCT, Abuja

The Southeast caucus holds on Friday, 20th September in Owerri, Imo state

The South South caucus holds on Friday, 27th September in Port Harcourt, Rivers state

The Grand Finale holds on Friday, 11th October in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state which also marks NISSI 20th anniversary and will feature Peace Leadership awards.

This campaign will feature leadership courses you can take and become a professional in this fields, the courses include:

1. Management of crisis

2. Chaplaincy

3. Conflict: options and alternatives

4. Personal security amid insecurity

5. Leadership

6. How to optimize change

Aside this, I will be giving out a million copy of my eBook Responsible Leadership during this campaign.

For registrations or enquiries, reach out on Whatsapp on +2347065828892

Ephesians 2:17: And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

Prof. Ofonime Emmanuel Bassey is a Leadership, Conflict, Peace, and Security Management Coach with decades of experience in the practice and promotion of Law Enforcement, Peace, and Security through the Nigeria Police and the United Nations.

He has served and interacted at the top level management of the Nigeria Police as well as internationally as a United Nation’s Monitor/Mentor in Kosovo, Europe.

Ofonime is a certified United Nation’s Trainer, and currently a Professor of Leadership, Peace, and Conflict Resolution with ICOF University, USA/Zambia and a Professor of Peace Education with Charismatic International University, Cameroon.

With his marks well-established in Peace Leadership both in Nigeria and Africa, he is the President, NISSI Safety Management Institute: An Institute famous for Peace Leadership.

Presently, he is spearheading a campaign tagged “The Next Peace Leaders”, a campaign that is billed to run from 2022-2030 with a target of training 37,000 young peace leaders.

For leadership, conflict, peace and security consultations and trainings, reach him via:

Facebook: Dr. O.E Bassey

LinkedIn: Dr. O.E Bassey

X: Dr. O.E Bassey

WhatsApp: +2347065828892

Mail: emmanuelbassey@gmail.com