National protest: deliberate attempt to embarrass government, by Kola Amzat

No other topic dominates public discourse today other than the impending national protest. 

It has suddenly becomes a behemoth that is unnecessarily creating undue fear in the hearts of the citizenry, stalling planning in millions of households across the nation, temporarily halting the direction of economy and of course, creating doubts in the minds of numerous foreign investors desirous of partnering with our dear nation on different investment segments.

That’s the main objective of the sponsors! To create hopelessness and project the country as unsettled and unstable entity in the eyes of the world!

However, none of the stakeholders mentioned above could be blamed as they can’t predict the dimension it would take when it starts.

Of course, they’re damn too correct as a national protest, especially the one borne out of anger, hate, petty jealousy and strife like this could necessitates atmosphere of disorderliness, chaos and complete breakdown of law & order.

This is the atmosphere of gloom and confusion the sponsors of the protest have imposed on the nation in the last few days! This is the atmosphere of uncertainty the sponsors have succeeded in foisted on our country!

It’s evident that they’re agents of darkness and apostles of demons. They’re obviously frustrated with the peace and tranquility that the country have been enjoying in the last fourteen (14) months, as this would prevent them to provide justifications to Nigerians to vote out the government in 2027 general elections.

It’s obvious they have no love and affection whatsoever for their motherland.

They bother less, even, if the country is plunged into darkness and chaos.

It doesn’t concern them even if the country goes into extinction.

The centerpiece of their actions is their selfish and inordinate ambition to paint the present government in a bad light, with the expectation that Nigerians would give them the mantle of leadership of the country in the next general election.   

They’ve humongous resources to fund hoodlums, miscreants and wrecks within the society to wreak havoc and violence on their motherland.

Meanwhile, this is the resources they should be deploying productively in assisting the country, and to help the down-trodden one way or the other.

It suits their purpose to waste the resources on inciting pandemonium and anarchy as long as it would projects the government in a bad light and sends negative signals to the international community, especially many investors that are fervent and poise to invest in Nigerians.

All attempts by different stakeholders to sway them from sponsoring violence have met a brick wall, so far.

It’s also important to note that the unmistakable and unequivocal pronouncements of the leadership of Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) that, it’s illogical and senseless for anyone to alleging their withdrawal from protest that the bodies are not originally part of, has not dissuaded them.

Many other Civil Liberty Organizations (CLO) have opted out. 

But, they’ve forgotten the fact that rain don’t spare anyone when it comes down.     

Even if the sponsors of violence relocate abroad, alongside their family, their investments scattered all over Nigeria would not be spared, as they will be consumed by violence and pandemonium that the protest sponsored by them would generate.

But, the crux of this Piece is to implore Nigerians in all walks of life to disregard the sponsors of the protests, their cohorts, and their faithful by say CAPITAL NO to thoughtless, needless, provocative and destructive protest that would further plunge the nation into darkness and economic mess.

It’s instructive to re-emphasis to Nigerians spirited efforts being made by the government to address multifarious challenges confronting the nation.

The government are poised to commence the implementation of more than 133% increase on the minimum wage.  

The Student’s Loan that gives Nigerian Indigent students in Tertiary Institutions access to Interest-free facility to fund their educational pursuits is also an awesome initiative from the government to make life easier for the nation young men and women in their quest to become responsible citizens.

The consumer credit has been created purposely to support citizens to buy cars and houses, and they can repay gradually.

The president has also assented the new Electricity Act 2023 that ended the monopoly of Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) in electricity administration, granting States, Companies and Private Individuals ample opportunity to participate in the investment in power sector with the latitude to generate, market and transmit electricity with the main purpose of making power supply affordable to millions of Nigerians.

The same administration recently gave approval for delineating Nigerians electricity system into categories-Band A, Band B, Band C etc, an initiative that has significantly relieved the downtrodden of huge tariffs payment on monthly basis.

On related note, the Federal Government has commenced disbursement of N50, 000 to 1,000,000 on monthly basis, a Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme, also known as the Trade Grants Scheme.

The recent AUTONOMY granted to Local Government Council by the pronouncement of Apex Court is purposed to ensure that Federal Government Authority seamlessly make life more meaningful and abundant at local government level with huge resources that would henceforth be available to LGC authority on monthly basis.

Tinubu administration ingenuity in reducing number of taxes payable by Nigerians in all sectors from 52 to 10, a fantastic initiative that purposed to end the regime of multiple taxation is also an initiative expected to reduce burden of unnecessary tax payment on Nigerians. 

Besides, federal government have put in place several social welfare schemes in form of allowances to the poor and vulnerable, vibrant enough to reach downtrodden at grassroots.

The government equally initiated the launching of a new program called the Presidential Intervention Fund, with huge amount of N200 billion set aside to help small businesses grow.

The scheme is purposed mainly to help small businesses, with specific focuses on sectors like trading, food services, ICT, transportation, creative arts, and artisans.

The grants are not meant to be repaid back. The Grant Scheme underscores the government’s commitment to supporting small-scale entrepreneurs and driving inclusive economic growth.

In recent times, the government have supplied several trucks of fertilizers and Agricultural inputs to thousands of farmers, particularly in the northern region with a view to ensuring abundant of food supply to millions of households across the country in the weeks/months ahead.  

There is hope that the economic benefits of Petroleum Subsidy removal, as well as floating of Nigeria currency will soon start manifesting.

The administration is also busy committing huge resources of the nation in infrastructures in rails, roads, airways, medical, educational and research institutes with a view to ensuring prosperity, growth & development in the country.

There are other laudable initiatives this government has put in place that this writer won’t be able to highlight in this Piece.

But, there exists no doubt that the president is displaying patriotism, honesty, sincerity, decisiveness, courage and unprecedented zeal never seen before in successive leaders, in tackling the nation’s challenges head-on.

The million question to be posed to sponsors of the protest is that; what exactly do they want? They need to tell Nigerians.

They’ve been invited for dialogues. They shunned it! They were invited for interactive session with the president. They shunned it!

If their aim and objective is to replicate another ARAB SPRING in Nigeria, the country will deploy all its might to resist them. 

Finally, I passionately appeal to parents across the country to warn their children to resist the temptation of being used as instruments of tools of inciting violence and anarchy under the guise of violence.

The consequence may be grievous!

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB)

Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,

09077509348.