Do Nigerians need revolution?

It is no longer news, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Sowore, has been arrested by DSS. This is in connection with the planned to stage a protest tagged “Revolutionnow”. The arrest of the media activist has continued to generate mixed reaction from Nigerians. Some Nigerians viewed the arrest of the popular journalist as deliberate attempt to infringe his right as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution. Sowore, like any other Nigerian is entitled to freedom of expression under chapter 4 of 1999 Constitution. Sowore who was the candidate of AAC in the last general election plans to organise the revolution in response to multiples challenges in the country. Of course, every Nigerian is conversant and worries about the high level of insecurity, poverty and poor economy.

In the last four years of Buhari administration, there were hues and cries on the worsening insecurity resulted in the destruction of lives and property. The Global Poverty Clock, a US based organisation which released a damning and unpleasant figures of 87 millions Nigerians living below the poverty line has also vindicated Sowore’s stand on poor governance in the country. Can we put the blame on the present government? In as much as we can apportion the blame on the previous governments for their in ability to address the myriad problems bedevilling the country even at the peak period of sound economy, we cannot exonerate the Buhari goverment which inherited broken economy but came to power under the change mantra.

On this note, every Nigerians shares the same pain and anguish with Soware on the catalogue of problems affecting the country. However, the million naira questions begging for answer are: Is Nigeria ready for revolution? Are there lessons to learn from the countries that experienced revolution in the name of regime change? The answers to these questions are not far-fetched. Firstly, Nigeria is not ready for revolution. The country is polarised along ethnic and religious fault lines. Any attempt to organise revolution will further deepen the division. It will be viewed with great suspicions and entirely rejected by the region that produced the president.

 Furthermore, the DSS has already come up with the charges against Sowore that, he wanted to topple democratically elected government. This has sent deadly blow to Sowore and his symphatisers who believed the convener of the “Revolutionnow” is a victim of press muzzling by the government. It is on record, the countries that experienced revolution have never fared well. They are ravaged by war and destruction. Since the Arab Spring that swept the likes of Ghadafi of Libya, Hussein Mubarak of Egypt and many more, those countries have never known peace. Those countries have never had stable government. The revolution Nigerians need is periodic elections where they can effect necessary changes using their votes. How I wish Sowore and his co-travellers could go back to drawing board and chart workaholic strategies towards the next general election. It is late?

Ibrahim Mustapha,

Pambegua, Kaduna state

08169056963

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