Revolution is Needed in Nigeria, by Tunde Eso

Sir: Egocentric politicians, swindlers, political profiteers, and elites who fight over each other for power, are likely to disagree with the content of this article. Having painstakingly discussed with numbers of pragmatic elites, young stakeholders, comrades, youthocrats and other conscious Nigerians, I reached a consensus that what present-day Nigeria needs is a revolution, but the big question is what can bring about the forces of revolution and what strategies are to be adopted to make revolution in Nigeria a reality?

 

Revolution is a cry from the masses. A deep cry that eventuates and eliminates the need for money before action. It is crystal clear that every revolution requires a lot of money. However, when people are ready, little money will be needed. I had the opportunity of witnessing and participating in the January 2012 fuel hike protest. The cry was massive, little capital was required.

In the world today, many countries have undergone a revolution, their revolutionary period was noted for the change in government from absolutist monarchies to constitutionalist states and republics. Some of them include the industrial revolution, the french revolution (1789-1799), Haitian revolution (1791-1804), American revolution (1775-1783) and many others.

Nigeria as a country has encountered different stages of evolution, some of these stages include moving from being a colony to a nation, moving from colonization era to the independence era, moving from military dictatorship to democracy since 1999 and many others. All these are evolutionary periods, which Nigeria has encountered, yet the change, which she so much yearns for, is still far fetched. It is crystal clear that what Nigeria needs is a revolution, a revolution would not only help restructure the state but also help infighting corruption and promoting economic transformation and development in governance.

Let’s call a spade a spade, we would all agree that Nigeria is a failed country, a country that earns over $50billion a year, yet her economy is down, a country where an average Nigerian feeds on $1dollar per day, a country where her unemployment rate is at 23.10%, a country where workers and students are not exempted from continuous strike actions.

I unequivocally assure you today, a revolution is indeed coming. Not like the revolution of old that requires guns and violence. It shall require intellectual dispositions, sacrifice and maybe, lose of life. I know some may not survive the revolution. I am, however, certain that the desired results will be achieved. The only way to revive a failed state like Nigeria is to have a revolution, a kind of revolution that would provide solutions to the fundamental errors of her government. Joining the campaign for revolution should be one act every progressive Nigerians should partake.

Tunde Eso is President, Fix Nigeria Group, and Author of Vision for Africa, Initiator of Youthocracy a new system of government, Journalist and a Social Commentator, wrote from Lagos Nigeria.