#RevolutionNow, Fault Of Government

"If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the new stand side by side, and admit of being compared; when the energies of all men are searched by fear and by hope; when the historic glories of the old can be compensated by the rich possibilities of the new era?" - said Emerson.

I want to thank Nigerians, who despite earlier intimidation meted out against Omoyele Sowore on August 3 2019, did not think of death to marshal out for the slated #RevolutionNow on Aug 5. Omoyele Sowore, who is still kept incommunicado by the government security, is a Nigerian human rights activist, pro-democracy campaigner, former presidential candidate, and founder of online news agency Sahara Reporters. What has made these Nigerians protesting against the most bungling government in the history of the country special was that, no matter the teargas and live bullets targeted at them by the security agents, their protestation spirit for a change in the government calculus did not wane; their protestation spirit was not cowed. I would have said that I was moved to tears, when I saw pictures and videos of humiliation these protesters suffered in the hands of security agents in Lagos state. But on the other hand, I will not show my tears, because the protesters are heroes, because the humiliations make critiques of this government stronger. And the critiques are in legions, torrents and cannot be beleaguered by this incompetent government and its yes-men.

The in-thing is that millions of Nigerians might not have joined the protest, but we are not happy with the situation that compelled Sowore to spur for protestation against the ills in the country. Who is to blame about any stone thrown at the people or government? I will show you who is to blame.

According to Goethe, "A great revolution is never the fault of the people, but of the government." The government of the day however perceived the #RevolutionNow and said that one can only change a government through election. Such view and statement are balderdash. Government is not only changed through election. The Red Chambers at the National Assembly can change a government that is found inept in carrying out its statutory functions. The States Houses of Assembly have a right to change the government of their different States. If we should also take the matrix that democracy is government of the people, by the people, and for the people; then the people have a right to change their government without resorting to violence.

I join multitude across the country to say that this government has failed the country, and Sowore has made history. Sowore has shown that revolution and its meaning are not known and cannot be interpreted by anyone who is struggling with his WAEC certificate. Revolution can only be interpreted by some persons like Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), who told the government of the day in a video that as far as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is concerned, Sowore did not cause any breach to the sanity of the country. Falana averred that as far as the Constitution is concerned, every citizen has a right of association, even protest.

The insanity in this country under the present government that its pilot wanted power without any preparation to progress the country and citizens is one that if not properly directed, would register the country on the map of insane history. Well, it was the legendary Bob Marleywho said, “Better to die fighting for freedom than be a prisoner all the days of your life.” I would want Buhari to understand that even though there was no large scale revolution on the said August 5, there were personal revolutions against his government, especially that which I have carried in my articles. This revolution I have been showcasing in my articles is to let the world know that Nigeria under Buhari is bereft of communism, democracy, freedom, people-oriented development, hope,and socialism but alive withindividualism, propaganda, politics, and undemocratic tenets. For instance, there are people like Dasuki whom court had granted bail several times, but Buhari says to hell with Court Order and has blatantly refused to release them, showcasing domineering Executive power. There are incessant killings of Nigerians across the country by the supposed Fulani herdsmen and Buhari is a choirmaster that the herdsmen should be given land across the 36 states of the country christened RUGA.

When Buhari noticed the hyper-tension his presidency’s RUGA proposal had created in the country, he took a break of it. I became disappointed in the Buhari presidency when it berthed in 2015. In lieu of new things, it began to fight existing reality. The sad side is that those who should have revolutionized the government from inside hadn't the ball to do so. Some, who showed sign of carrying a revolution, although non-violent, were caged with all arsenals of government security.

It has become a slapping shame that this government does not want activism, change, development, digital-revolution, future, movement, new-models, progress, progression, protest, revolution, society, structural-changes. All it wants is to intimidate opposing views. One Nnamdi Kanu was treated like a beast in the gulag for the simple reason that he wants a sovereignty called Biafra. His IPOB group was and still remains non-violent, but is proscribed as a terrorist group, by the make-believe authorities in Nigeria superintend by Buhari.

It is very essential the Nigerian authorities learned from history such statement from the legendary Kennedy, "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." My happiness over the #RevolutionNow is that Nigerians have proved to this government that no amount of teargas, arrest, live bullet thrown at them will make them not to be who they really want to be or attain the freedom they want. If freedom means that one should be who he or she really is, they want Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to go. Buhari trades in his sense, not minding the suffering of the masses, who are victims of his inept government and governance.

*A Speech Delivered By Odimegwu Onwumere On Instance Of #RevolutionNow. August 5 2019*