The Precept Of Non-Violent Protest Amid Counter Protest In Nigeria: The Fear Of The Unknown And A Peep Through The Ghandian And Lutheran Thoughts By Mbang Confidence, Esq.
Introduction
Generally, the concept of Protest has been greeted with many thoughts and reactions. Its import and purport largely depends on the background or bias of the proponent. The notion of protest depends on the interest and stakes involve. The term is subjectively used, rather than objective. It is not unlikely that the persons or institutions against whom protests are organized would tag it unpatriotic and nebulous, in contrast to the protesters, whose believes and hope is anchored on exercising their constitutional right to protest against a course. In Nigeria, August 1st, 2024 has been scheduled for a nationwide protest against hunger, while the government and its officials are reportedly making moves to quell the protest and many groups organizing counter protests across the 36 states. Meanwhile, government approach ought to be more diplomatic at this fragile stage. To me, Protest is a right and its expression should be guaranteed, however, in a peaceful manner. This leads us to the precept of Non-Violent Protest (Resistance), which was utilized by Mahatma Ghandi, and later inspired the late Martin Luther King Jr., late Nelson Mandela and other civil rights activists across the globe. The Nigerian government ought not to be afraid, they ought not to put the cat before the horse, they are no reasons to be afraid, rather, they should support the people, hear from the people, and show them that if they can attain freedom in their pursuit of life.
In the light of the above, I beg to take solace from the words of Martin Luther King Jr. When he said:
“There is nothing greater in the world than freedom. It’s worth going to jail for. It’s worth loosing a job for. My friends, go out this evening determined to achieve this freedom which God wants for all his children.”
The Anticipated Protest, Counter Protest, and Fair Prospects
Recall that democracy in Africa is gradually on the decline, and many nations have experienced coups, protests, amongst others. (See my pen-ultimate article on Democracy). Currently, the Kenyan protesters are calling for the resignation of President Ruto, this has sent strong signals to all African leaders. While some have commenced immediate preventive measures, it may be too late for others.
The anticipated protest tagged #Endbadgovernance is targeted at drawing the attention of the government to the fact that the people are in a sorry state of hunger and abject poverty. The removal of subsidy and increase in taxes reduced the purchasing power of the people, crippled the economy, and raised the hopelessness of the people. Life is quite unbearable for many as cases of suicide and death surge. At this juncture, I am tempted to ask this question, when will the common man enjoy the dividends of democratic governance in Nigeria? Do you know?
The anticipated protest is a leaderless, fearless, and faceless one, it has no commander, no emperor nor captain. It is a mental wave spreading across the sub-consciousness of young and progressive Africans. On X, there is also #Tinubumustgo, a caption that poses a threat to the Tinubu led administration. While exhaustive demands of the protest may be hard to come-by, it is logical to deduce that all the people simply want is good governance.
In my previous vista, I cited the 3Es of democracy as; changes in political performance, increase level of corruption and failure to promote the rule of law. It behooves on the government to make quick amends and do the needful. The people are only tired of hardship, and do not intend to cause mayhem, little wonder a date was even fixed for the protest. For putting the government on notice, the people took a bold and patriotic step in preparation of exercising their civil right.
Accordingly, the system has been heated up as politicians and their ally keep deploying resources to forestall the protest. The police has sent threats warning to protesters, over thirty personnel of the NCSDC have been deploy across the nation, at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja the Nigerian Army has taken possession of the Eagle Square and strategic points where the protest is supposed to kickoff, the IGP has ordered nationwide curfew from 4 pm, traditional rulers and religious leaders have been cajoled to kick against the protest, sections of youths and pro-government campaigners have embarked on counter protest tagged: SayNoToProtest. Haba, how can a counter protest be organised against an anticipated protest? Have you ever heard of such? This might be yet, a new case study in the ambience of civil obedience.
The prospect maybe a heated and violent protest, such is the prospect of mobilizing against uncountable number of hungry citizens who just want to register their grievances and nothing more.
The Fear of the Unknown: The Unexpected U-Turn by the Government.
Having noted that the prospect of the protest maybe be heated and violent, due to the actions of various security agencies, parastatals and government officials, it was quite shocking, when the government activated a U-Turn.
For instance, the IGP vide a release has ordered all police officers to protect protesters in direct contrast to his earlier position. Youth empowerment programme and advert of jobs from NNPC are flowing – an advert I have never seen for the past two decades. The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike who boldly stated that the protest would not hold in Abuja has also called for dialogue amid the pressure. The President has also ordered NNPC to sell crude oil to Dangote refinery in Naira, the Minimum Wage Act has been signed into law even if a large chunk of the masses believes they deserve more than the approved 70,000 naira. The Senate and House of Representatives have called for emergency meetings irrespective of the fact that they went on leave which saw many lawmakers scrambling to leave the shores of Nigeria due to the fear of the unknown.
I ask again and again, why was the government afraid? Where they afraid of the unknown? Well, methinks they are skeptical on the prospect, having seen the Kenyan-Ruto saga, the rages of the Endsars and current economic state. But they forgot that no sane person would support a violent protest, as this may lead to lose of lives, properties and liberty. What would it profit a man to gain the world and loose his soul when life is vanity upon vanity?. (Bible verse, Koran verse… What would it profit Yusuf, Obi, Balogunor even Okon to lose his life in this vanity?
The Law and the Right to Protest
The right to protest is inalienable, it is guaranteed and protected by international, regional and national treaties/laws. For example, the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights, especially Articles 9 to 11; and the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, especially Articles 18 to 22 makes provision recognizing the right to protest. Other convention, treaties, protocols and instrument abound.
At the regional level, Article 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the African Charter, which provides for freedom of information/expression, association, assembly and movement respectively guarantees the right to protest. The ECOWAS Court also upholds the right to peaceful protest in line with it 1975 revised Treaty.
In Nigeria, the right to protest can easily and colourfully be gleaned from the community reading of sections 39 of the 1999 Constitution dealing with freedom of expression, and 40 dealing with freedom of association and assembly, section 4(a) and 83(4) of the Nigerian Police Act, 2020 dealing with protection of the freedom of citizens and provision of security for rallies, procession including protest in context, and the evergreen decision of the Supreme Court in IGP v. All Nigerian People’s Party (2008) 12 WRN 65.
This right was enjoyed by President Tinubu, former President Buhari and other statesmen to protest against the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. Why then, is it now an offence to embark on a peaceful protest?
The Ghandian and Lutheran Thoughts
In the heat of this wave, I was privileged to listen to an interview where the cerebral PLO Lumumba of Kenya (watch: https://youtu.be/mly_4qJbkiQ?si=uGytZps0re9dfytF) noted that mass action was an instrument used by the late Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement. In the words of the learned Professor of law, Martin Lurther King Jr. said,
“any responsible leadership that wants to engage in mass action must satisfy four test: first, they must demonstrate that they have a grievance and they do not want to use mass action for to cause confusion and for the purpose of revenge; second, that they must demonstrate that they have exhausted all methods of engaging government including negotiation and petitions; third, having find all those method la and doors to be closed, that they intend to ensure that they don’t cause injustice to others; fourth, they must demonstrate at they have a clear programme of savaging the society without causing injustice to others.”
This was a man that once said, “ my friends, I must say to you that we have not made a single gain in civil rights without determined legal and nonviolent pressure… freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”
Although, King made tremendous success with the nonviolent resistance mantra, which led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act, 1964 and the Voting Rights Act, 1965, he was not exempted from criticisms. He organised several marches and movements leading to liberation of the African-Americans and recognition of other socio-economic and political rights.
Ghandi on the other hand, was the most renown person to utilize the nonviolent resistance mantra. He led nationwide campaigns to ease poverty, expand women’s rights, build religious and ethnic harmony and eliminate the injustices of the caste system, he applied the principles of nonviolent civil disobedience, playing a key role in freeing India from foreign domination. He is called Mahatma for being a “great soul.” In 1947, he achieved his dreams which was the independence of India.
Ghandi’s stress of love and non-violence laid the platform for King, and inspired his conviction through his book title, “Stride Toward Freedom.” It was the first to transform Christians love into a powerful force for social change. King’s notion of non-violence became extreme. King did not experience the power of nonviolent direct action first-hand until the start of the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955. During the boycott, King personally enacted Gandhian principles. With guidance from black pacifist Bayard Rustin and Glenn Smilley of the Fellowship of Reconciliation King eventually decided not to use armed bodyguards despite threats on his life, and reacted to violent experiences, such as the bombing of his home, with compassion. King later called the principle of nonviolent resistance the “guiding light of our movement. Christ furnished the spirit and motivation while Gandhi furnished the method”
King expounded on ‘Agape’ love, which is the highest point of love. Agape is a Greek word, which means “understanding,” or “redeeming goodwill for all men.” He posits in one of his sermons that, “At the center of nonviolence stands the principle of love, when we rise to love on the agape level,” he continued, “we love men not because we like them, not because their attitudes and ways appeal to us, but we love them because God loves them. Here we rise to the position of loving the person who does the evil deed while hating the deed that the person does”
Peaceful protest is nonviolent, and should be understood as same. The government ought to have considered this precept, and work on how to protect the protesters. However, one cannot be sure of the future. I am not Nostradamus, the man who predicted the future. I can only permutate considering the surrounding facts and circumstances.
The Way Forward
On the strength of the discuss above, the way forward may be as follows;
Allow citizens to express their constitutional right of expression, information, assembly and association, and movement. Let them protest, without protest government would not know the level of disdain that people bear in their mind towards policies and governance.
Ensure adequate protection of citizens during protest. Protesters should be provided with adequate security, and allowed to air out their grievances. A government that provides security for mass action cannot in turn be ousted out form power by the same people. It is commonsensical.
Attend to genuine demands of the people. A protest is never held in vacuum. People definitely nurse grievances ranging from socio-economic impacts. Hunger can lead a man, and a hungry man is an angry man. The government should look at the issues of fuel subsidy, food security, insecurity, currency devaluation, corruption, impartial judiciary, electoral justice, restructuring, amongst others.
Consistent Dialogue with the people would also go a long-way to curb any agitation. A government that is not surreptitious, a government that communicates properly would not easily face challenges.
Conclusion
We are at a cross road, the polity has been heated up, the people are hungry. If the government cannot guarantee the right of the people to protest for their internet, it can only lead to anarchy and a state of lawlessness just like what is happening in Kenya. Today, massive protest has taken over Venezuela over their general elections. Nigeria never protested for electoral injustice for any reason, they are just saying, look, enough is enough, the hardship is too much, end bad governance. That is all. They have not said they would overhaul the government or cause mayhem. In any case, the government should l borrow a leave from the immortal Ghandian and Lutheran thoughts on nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience.
FOOD FOR THOUGHTS: Arguing that violent revolution was impractical in the context of a multiracial society, he concluded: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. The beauty of nonviolence is that in its own way and in its own time it seeks to break the chain reaction of evil” (King, Where, 62–63).
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