“Nonviolence is the greatest force at our disposal, let's harness it.”

Mahatma Gandhi
(Indian lawyer)

Dear Active Citizen,

It's Day 9 of the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests, and we have an important update for you.

On Sunday, President Tinubu finally addressed the nation, but let's just say his speech left a lot to be desired. We took a close look at what the President had to say, and you know what we found? Some major gaps between the government's response and the actual demands of Nigerian citizens.

As highlighted in our joint Press Statement issued by 13 Civil Society Organizations, the President's speech failed to meaningfully engage with the people's demands. We emphasized that the President is yet to adequately address the core concerns of the protesters, including reducing food costs, addressing the skyrocketing cost of living, curbing insecurity, and cutting government waste.

Sure, he mentioned a few steps to tackle hunger, like releasing over N570 billion to the states and providing incentives to farmers. But here's the thing - these are mostly medium to long-term solutions. What about the immediate relief that people desperately need right now?

It's almost as if he wasn't even listening to the people's voices.😞

Yesterday, on Day 8, we witnessed an inspiring display of courage and determination as women led the protests at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. Despite attempts by the police to disperse them, these brave women stood their ground, protesting peacefully and making their voices heard. We commend their resilience and peaceful approach in the face of intimidation.

However, today in Abuja, we received deeply troubling news. Women who gathered to protest at the Moshood Abiola Stadium were met with tear gas. This use of force against peaceful protesters, especially women, is absolutely unacceptable. We strongly condemn these actions by the security forces. The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental aspect of our democracy, and it must be protected at all costs.

So, what can you do to help? Keep your voice loud and your protests peaceful. Your right to be heard is sacred, and the government needs to know that.

Together, we can make sure that the government starts listening and taking real action to #EndBadGovernance.

Opportunities

Join our team as a HR Lead, Senior Creative Associate, or Media Associate.

Help shape impactful initiatives and amplify our message.

Stay safe this week.
The EiE Nigeria Team.