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Beyond the Placards: The Reality of Nigerian Youths Participation in Protests

‘Arise, O Compatriots, Nigeria’s call to obey…’, sang protesters, at the hunger protest held in Lagos on Oct. 1.  The protesters carried banners and placards, their hands placed on their chest as they decried the hike in the price of fuel and the cost of living crisis in the country. 

Nigerians have been dissatisfied for a long time. In August, social media was agog over the #EndBadGovernance protest.  However, there was low turnout of youths in different states of the country. 

Despite school fees hike in various tertiary institutions in the past year, Nigeria’s protests are experiencing a decline in youth participation.

Fear of attacks 

Abayomi Adeoluwa*, an undergraduate student at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, told Campus Reporter that he stopped taking part in protests as a result of fear of attacks by security officials and sponsored thugs.

A man is jumping as police are dispersing protesters during the anti government protest in Abuja, Nigeria, on August 2, 2024 (Photo by next24online/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Campus Reporter understands that attacks on protesters in Nigeria have been a disturbing trend, with the most recent incidents occurring during the #EndBadGovernance protests in August. 

According to various media reports, Nigerian police used excessive force against protesters, killing at least 24 people and detaining over 1,200, including minors. 

While the protests were largely peaceful in different parts of Nigeria, security forces responded with violence, firing live ammunition and tear gas at protesters. 

In fact, journalists were not left out. Yakubu Mohammed, a reporter with PREMIUM TIMES, was brutally attacked by police in Abuja, suffering a head injury.

According to ARTICLE 19, an international human rights organisation and press attacks tracker, the deliberate use of excessive force by security forces is a clear manifestation of the Nigerian authorities’ failure to respect the right to freedom of assembly and expression.

Meanwhile, the repeated attacks on peaceful demonstrators have made many parents deny their children from participating in protests.  

For Paul Andrew*, he does not believe in protest, saying he “sees no effect or believes anything can be achieved with protest.”

Weaponization of Poverty  

Speaking with Campus Reporter, Yemi Adewusi, a public policy PhD student at the University of Ibadan shared his experience with activism during his time as the Press Secretary for the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) in the school.  

He explained that the political class have weaponised poverty to the extent that groups that were once at the forefront of activism are now known to endorse political candidates or be affiliated with political parties. 

Adewusi lamented that the attention has shifted and that “people [now] aspire to these positions so they can go out of poverty and enrich themselves. It has become harder for these groups to speak out, because you don’t talk when you are eating. So, you can’t mobilise against the same people you are eating with.”

Similarly, Temitope Musowo, a Public Affairs Analyst and research fellow at the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research said “Nigerians are now on the survival plane, with most students focused on meeting their daily needs through self-employment.”

“Since a majority of Nigerians depend on daily income, it creates no time to go on the streets because it would mean no means of livelihood. It would take a lot of courage for market women, artisans and other small business owners to spend the time for business on protesting.”

Way forward 

Musuwo told Campus Reporter that there must be a deliberate reorientation and political education in tertiary institutions.  

“Our young population is an asset and if well-developed, they would provide a strong foundation for economic growth.”

On re-orientation, organisations like Electoral College Nigeria (ECN) are already leading the charge to educate Nigerians on the political system and encourage more citizen participation. 

To increase political participation, civil society organisations have to infuse their efforts with mainstream pop culture by enlisting popular trends on social media, events and celebrities to increase political literacy and awareness.

This story was funded by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) through its Empower Women in Media Cohort project.

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1 Comment

  1. Jonathan Johnson

    This is great

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