By Milcah Tanimu
“We’re protesting because we’re hungry,” says Nigerian activist Banwo Olagokun, part of the Take It Back Movement, one of the groups calling for a 10-day protest starting this Thursday despite government pleas to stand down.
Nigeria is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation, with annual inflation at 34.19%, the highest in almost three decades, and food prices rising even faster. In Lagos, for example, yams are nearly four times more expensive than last year. People are resorting to buying nearly rotten tomatoes, cheaper, lower-grade rice, and fewer meals to survive.
The Take It Back Movement is demanding the government address the cost-of-living crisis and offer free education at all levels. They also call for the scrapping of the 1999 constitution, allowing Nigerians living abroad to vote, and the release of Biafran separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu from prison.
Juwon Sanyaolu, the national coordinator of the movement, says their demands are inspired by recent events in Kenya, where youth protests led President William Ruto to scrap a controversial tax-rise plan. Sanyaolu believes similar change is possible in Nigeria.
In response, the Nigerian government has held emergency meetings, with President Bola Tinubu appealing to protest organizers to be patient. Several state governors have warned against the protests, citing potential violence. The government has also announced measures like reopening applications for financial support for young entrepreneurs and job openings at the state oil company, but protest organizers say these are insufficient.
Nigeria’s economic difficulties are linked to the government’s policy of ending the fixed exchange rate of the naira to the US dollar, which caused the naira to fall by around 70%, contributing to inflation. The removal of fuel subsidies and the ongoing security crisis have also affected the economy.
Despite these challenges, the government insists that reforms are necessary to reduce public spending. Economist Muda Yusuf agrees but believes the measures were not well-planned. The government has introduced mitigating measures such as distributing grains and providing temporary cash payments to the very poor.
The crisis has impacted many businesses, with caterer Abosede Ibikunle in Lagos noting that her regular customers now cook their own food for events due to rising costs.
Some fear a repeat of the violence from the 2020 #EndSars protests against police brutality. President Tinubu’s daughter, Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, has warned market traders in Lagos to prevent their children from protesting, citing the violence that occurred during those demonstrations.
The military and police have warned of potential intervention to prevent violence, blaming “self-appointed crusaders and influencers” for inciting the protests. However, organizers remain undeterred, with Sanyaolu expressing confidence in the resolve of the Nigerian people.
“We are already down, so we have nothing to fear,” he says, quoting a hymn, “A man who is down fears no fall.”
