Reasons Why We Should Join The Protest Against The Oil Subsidy Removal

On Monday, January 9 2012, organized labour has promised a complete activity shutdown should the government refuse to rescind its decision on the oil subsidy removal.

While some have remained sceptic about the NLC’s decision, others have given Labour a benefit of the doubt to redeem their now fading image.  However, human right groups have vowed that with or without the NLC and other Trade Congresses, Monday will mark a difference on how we are treated in this country. Some have even gone to the extent of foretelling that the President may not be able to handle the outcome of the protest.

On the other hand, there are Nigerians who have been blinded by ethnicity; so, they feel all that the president is doing is right because they are of the same ethnic stock. Also, some others have taken solace in religion and continued to hope that no matter how hard it is, they will always have food on their tables, it is to these last two groups that I hold a big grudge, they prefer to stay in the middle and sometimes tilt towards the oppressive regime by refusing to support the protests. What these two groups refuse to acknowledge is that there are only three tribes in Nigeria the rich, the poor and the poor on their ways to becoming rich. Principled activists like the late Saro-Wiwa if alive would not have allowed tribal sentiments like this becloud his sense of judgement in a decision by a reckless and wasteful government that is bent on making an already hard life harder for its citizens.

I have also wondered how irresponsible the government can be to have whipped up ethnic sentiments so as to hijack supporters. The American president, Abraham Lincoln was once advised to take advantage of the patriotic nature of Americans by starting a war which could then bring seceding South back, he disregarded the option and sought a better and selfless way to bring back the seceding South. But it is a different ball game in Nigeria where our government remains selfish and does not mind if their decisions will further aggravate the sufferings of its people or widen the cesspool. Rather than like our irresponsible government appeal to your
sentiments, I appeal to your intelligence and ask that what has happened to the two Naira surcharge Abacha introduced in the nineties?

Why should we have the same oil pricing system as European nations and the USA when we have the oil beneath our feet. America and these other countries buy the oil from the oil producing states, transport it down to their countries and then refine it, while those of us in the oil-producing countries only need to harness the resource. Instead of removing subsidy, why can’t  our leaders sacrifice a portion of their unneeded income and help rebuild our refineries, Niger built theirs with about 200million Dollars that is almost the amount the president will spend on feeding his family and the VPs in 2012, not to talk of the travelling expense and other wasteful expenses. I don’t need to be an Harvard or Yale University trained Economist to know that the reason yams are cheaper in Benue is because there are no other costs incurred aside those from harvesting. It is those of us that stay in Lagos and other parts that have to bear that. What is the price of fuel in other oil producing countries?

What does their government do to help improve their standard of living? When will economists who have like the late Professor Aboyade studied our economy and not some ‘isms’ and ‘tions’ from various IMF sponsored programmes start to design economic programmes for us? Will we continue to be at the mercy of these economists who have only proven themselves in studying the economies of people who differ from us culturally, historically and in spending matters. This wicked imposition must not be allowed; we should come out en masse and say “NO” to a government that prefers taking food off the tables of its citizens than making life better.

As we take to the streets on Monday, let us remember the poor boy in that village in Bayelsa who will have to stop school because the meagre income of his widowed mother will no longer afford him the luxury of taking a boat to school. Let’s think about the school boy in Somolu whose father’s printing business may close down because of the removal of the oil subsidy hence end his dream of becoming who he wants to be. Let us remember the poor undergraduate girl that may turn to prostitution because her meagre five thousand Naira monthly allowance will no longer see her through the first week of the month. Remember if we fight, we may win, if we don't, we have lost!