On the last day of the year 2011, Nigerians, still shaken by the Madalla Christmas day bombing and the spate of killings in the north by the Boko Haram Islamist sect trembled in fear. There had been increasing security warnings of an impending Boko Haram attack in Lagos. Those alerts and warnings were not in any way taken lightly. The large congregations that greeted churches cross over service were absent, while the bustling celebratory night life of the New Year eve was missing.
As the dawn of the New Year shone, many rejoiced at what wasn’t just the change in calendar, but the preservation of their life amid increased bombings and killings in the country. Happy New Year greetings swept across the country just as it did elsewhere in the world on January 1st 2012! Celebration in Nigeria would however turn bittersweet. The petroleum products pricing regulatory agency announced the withdrawal of petroleum subsidy, meaning Nigerians will from the 1st of January pay N141 per liter of petrol.
Social Commentator Achide Chude describes the shock that pervaded the nation.
Not only had an expected April date being compromised by the federal government, the fragile security situation in the country had been disregarded. As days went by, fuel subsidy removal discussions took over the media, activists, civil society groups and organized labor spoiled for war, Nigerians groaned, and tension grew in the nation- There was a general consensus! Government must reverse its new pump price from N141 to the original price of N65.
Nigeria is the sixth largest exporter of crude oil in the world. After years of oil production, billions of dollars in revenue proceeds accrued from its sale have been stolen and mismanaged by leaders. Nigeria can hardly refine enough oil for local consumption. The present Government said it spent over 1.3trillion naira subsidy on imported fuel. This money ensures that regardless of the landing cost of refined petrol, Nigerians will not pay more than N65 for a liter. The government stressed the bulk of these monies goes into the coffers of greedy marketers identified as a cabal at the expense of the generality of poor Nigerians who survive on less than 2dollars a day. It also promised that the removal of subsidy on petrol would enable it shore up finances to improve infrastructure transportation and education. The Nigerian people did not believe this.
REFUTING GOVT PROMISES
Organised Labor in its typical fashion began an indefinite nationwide strike, on January 9th, but this time, it is one greeted with intense demonstrations across the country. The music blared through the streets calling for a revolution.
At the Gani Fawehinmi Park Ojota, Lagos crowds gathered in scary thousands that depicted scenes of the 2011 Arab Spring. The protests were historic;
As the dawn of the New Year shone, many rejoiced at what wasn’t just the change in calendar, but the preservation of their life amid increased bombings and killings in the country. Happy New Year greetings swept across the country just as it did elsewhere in the world on January 1st 2012! Celebration in Nigeria would however turn bittersweet. The petroleum products pricing regulatory agency announced the withdrawal of petroleum subsidy, meaning Nigerians will from the 1st of January pay N141 per liter of petrol.
Social Commentator Achide Chude describes the shock that pervaded the nation.
Not only had an expected April date being compromised by the federal government, the fragile security situation in the country had been disregarded. As days went by, fuel subsidy removal discussions took over the media, activists, civil society groups and organized labor spoiled for war, Nigerians groaned, and tension grew in the nation- There was a general consensus! Government must reverse its new pump price from N141 to the original price of N65.
Nigeria is the sixth largest exporter of crude oil in the world. After years of oil production, billions of dollars in revenue proceeds accrued from its sale have been stolen and mismanaged by leaders. Nigeria can hardly refine enough oil for local consumption. The present Government said it spent over 1.3trillion naira subsidy on imported fuel. This money ensures that regardless of the landing cost of refined petrol, Nigerians will not pay more than N65 for a liter. The government stressed the bulk of these monies goes into the coffers of greedy marketers identified as a cabal at the expense of the generality of poor Nigerians who survive on less than 2dollars a day. It also promised that the removal of subsidy on petrol would enable it shore up finances to improve infrastructure transportation and education. The Nigerian people did not believe this.
REFUTING GOVT PROMISES
Organised Labor in its typical fashion began an indefinite nationwide strike, on January 9th, but this time, it is one greeted with intense demonstrations across the country. The music blared through the streets calling for a revolution.
At the Gani Fawehinmi Park Ojota, Lagos crowds gathered in scary thousands that depicted scenes of the 2011 Arab Spring. The protests were historic;
it had brought together, artisans, market women, the clergy, Nigerian celebrities from all walks of life, politicians, professionals, the unemployed and even the rich.
It was Popularly catch phrased the Occupy Nigeria protests, and social media like facebook and twitter, and blackberry fueled their message.
THE MESSAGE: Nigerians will not buy fuel for N141 a liter, Government must tackle corruption, arrest the cabal eating up resources in the petroleum sector and must revert to N65 pump price of petrol. Despite their peaceful nature, the police shot at some protesters. A Student, identified as Mustapha Muyideen was shot dead in the kwara state capital, ilorin while a tailor Ademola Aderinto was felled in Ogba area of Lagos.
It was Popularly catch phrased the Occupy Nigeria protests, and social media like facebook and twitter, and blackberry fueled their message.
THE MESSAGE: Nigerians will not buy fuel for N141 a liter, Government must tackle corruption, arrest the cabal eating up resources in the petroleum sector and must revert to N65 pump price of petrol. Despite their peaceful nature, the police shot at some protesters. A Student, identified as Mustapha Muyideen was shot dead in the kwara state capital, ilorin while a tailor Ademola Aderinto was felled in Ogba area of Lagos.
DEATHS
After 5days of grounded economic activities in the nation, the senate brokered negotiations between government and the NLC were deadlocked. Organised labor however suspended Protests in the country even as the nationwide strike continued. This according to the convener of the save nigeria group, Tunde Bakare was to allow Nigerians refresh and get ready for what will be the big protest on Monday January 16th if the federal government failed to reverse its decision.
BAKARE
In all of this drama one man had apparently invoked the wrath of most Nigerians and perhaps attracted the sympathy of some. President Goodluck Jonathan was famously quoted during election campaign as saying he once had no shoes. He said he grew up in poverty and could relate to daily struggles of the average Nigerian. But with his decision removing fuel subsidy, Nigerians feel a sense of betrayal and couldnt seem to tell what the true intentions of his economic team were. The president didn’t seem to take the fear of a revolt against his administration seriously. He appeared stiff and wanted nigerians to trust his "goodwill" promising to even cut basic salaries of political office holders by 25%.
In his second Television broadcast to the nation in 2weeks, president goodluck Jonathan on Monday January 16th announced a 30% reduction in pump price of petrol from N141 to N97. Few hours after the president’s speech, the NLC called off its 8day old strike. In Abdul Waheed Omar, the NLC leader's speech, the government acted unilaterally by fixing new pump prize at N97.
How Nigerians felt after the call off of the strike
The amicable or harsh resolution of the fuel subsidy dilemma coupled with the timing of President Jonathan and his cabinet members is one that can make an interesting movie. it is very unclear whether the government had embarked on full or partial deregulation on petrol.
Normalcy has since returned in the country even though some Civil society groups feel they have been sold out by the NLC when it compromised on the N65 agreed price. To the average Nigerian, life must continue. The opportunity to send a strong warning to the government that they would not stay aloof to high handedness in Government and any action that may worsen their lives couldn’t have come any better. But Like a football field, the year stretches out to Government asking it to convince Nigerians that it will transform the economy and improve their lives.
By Jerry Bambi
Writer & caster on 99.3fm
