In Nigeria, reactions are mixed following President Bola Tinubu’s Sunday broadcast. His speech was aimed at addressing the concerns of protesters demanding an end to bad governance and economic hardship in Africa’s largest oil-producing country. Tens of thousands of young Nigerians have been staging #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria protests across the nation since Thursday. They are demonstrating against the rising cost of living, which they attribute to economic mismanagement. Over the past year, prices of staples like rice, bread, beans, and yam have more than doubled. The protesters say they are hungry and struggling to survive.
During his broadcast, President Tinubu assured citizens that the government is working hard to address their grievances. “We are working hard for you, and the results will soon be visible and concrete for everyone to see, feel, and enjoy,” Tinubu said. He acknowledged the pain and frustration driving the protests and committed to listening to the concerns of the people. “I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens.”
Pro-government groups and supporters of President Tinubu praised his address, urging protesters to return home. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, said the president had acknowledged the grievances of the protesters and called for dialogue. “There is no doubt that there is hunger and poverty in the land, but we can rest assured that the president is doing his best to improve the economy. But this cannot be achieved within a year. Let’s give the president the chance to address the situation, and let’s embrace dialogue for the peace and stability of the country,” Oyintiloye stated.
Lawyer and Tinubu supporter Daniel Bwala also expressed optimism about the president’s message. He emphasized that there is no longer any need for protests, as the president has heard the demonstrators’ message. “Thank you, Mr. President, for laying out what you have been doing to address the concerns raised by the Nigerian people. Thank you also for taking the youth; you have heard them loud and clear, and you are committed to further deepening this democracy,” Bwala said.
However, many Nigerians expressed disappointment with President Tinubu’s broadcast, finding it uninspiring and insufficient to calm nationwide tensions. Critics argue that the speech failed to offer concrete solutions to the pressing issues of hunger and bad governance. Former Education Minister Obiageli Ezekwesili criticized the broadcast for not connecting with the citizens protesting on the streets. She described it as a missed opportunity to placate citizens with sound answers and concrete actions to address their concerns. “Your speech is quite a monumental missed opportunity to placate citizens with sound answers and outline of convincing evidence-based actions that you and your government will immediately take to address the priority #BadGovernance concerns,” Ezekwesili said on her social media account.
The protests, driven by demands for good governance and a paradigm shift in government operations, reflect widespread frustration. Inflation in Nigeria has exceeded 34 percent, with food inflation surpassing 40 percent. The local currency has weakened significantly, exacerbating the economic crisis. Ezekwesili noted that President Tinubu’s speech seemed more focused on rebutting perceived enemies rather than addressing the citizens’ demands. She urged the president to instruct the police to stop using lethal force against peaceful protesters.
Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr, a professor and convener of the Country First Movement, echoed Ezekwesili’s sentiments, describing the president’s speech as lacking substance and failing to address the root causes of the protests. “It was flaccid and an uneventful dance around the issues that brought us to the nadir. He sought to validate the policies that traumatize the people. He sought to decree an end to the protests without addressing the issues, making concrete promises, or announcing significant reforms. The speech failed to address cutting the cost of governance, waste, and profligacy,” Nwaokobia remarked.
The situation on the ground remains tense, with reports of violence and clashes between protesters and security forces. In some areas, protests have escalated into riots, leading to looting and arson. A hotel housing asylum seekers was burned down, and several police officers were injured in the chaos. Ugo Egbujo, a public affairs analyst, labeled the speech as “ba la blue baloney,” criticizing the president for boasting about a new minimum wage that offers less purchasing power than previous ones under former presidents Buhari, Jonathan, and Obasanjo.
The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) also weighed in on the issue, urging President Tinubu to address the economic contradictions that are hindering the growth of the organized private sector. NECA Director-General Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde pointed out the role of regulatory agencies in creating bottlenecks for business growth, despite the efforts of the Taiwo Oyedele-led Presidential Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy Reforms. Oyerinde highlighted the impact of regulatory challenges on the expected contributions of the Dangote Refinery to reducing Nigeria’s dependence on fuel imports.
Renowned playwright and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka joined the chorus of criticism, condemning the use of lethal force by security agencies to disperse protesters. Soyinka, a long-time ally of President Tinubu, expressed disappointment that the president did not address the issue in his speech. He warned that firing live bullets at peaceful protesters could lead to more desperate upheavals and revolutions. “Firing live bullets at peaceful protesters who bemoan hunger in the land symbolizes an ominous retrogression, the kind that precedes upheavals and most likely revolutions,” Soyinka said.
Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine, expressed surprise at the content of Tinubu’s speech. He admitted that he had little hope for significant concessions from the president. “After the long-awaited speech of President Bola Tinubu eventually came this morning, I’m sure most of you would be as stupefied as me. I must confess that I had little hope of Tinubu granting some concessions to the aggrieved Nigerians. As a man who has held an iron grip on Lagos State in the last 25 years, it would be difficult for him to change a winning formula that has worked for him ever since,” Momodu commented.
Despite the criticisms, some voices called for a temporary halt to the protests. Atedo Peterside, founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank, urged campaigners of the #EndBadGovernance protest to suspend their demonstrations. Peterside suggested that if the government fails to address the protesters’ demands, they should regroup and call the leaders to order again. “You have made your point. Your massive turnout has frightened many people. FG is not deaf. The President has spoken this morning. Perhaps even the Legislators have heard you also. If they collectively fail to significantly reduce the cost of governance, stop wasteful expenditures, and tighten their own belts, please then re-strategize, regroup, and call them to order again,” Peterside advised.
