Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, criticized President Bola Tinubu’s national broadcast on Sunday morning. Soyinka claims Tinubu did not mention the violent actions of security forces against #EndBadGovernance protesters.
Soyinka expressed his concerns in a statement:
"I set my alarm to make sure I didn't miss President Bola Tinubu’s important address about the unrest in the country.
"His talk about the government’s actions to prevent such unrest will get expert attention for how effective they are. My main worry is about how the government handles protests. The president’s speech did not address this issue well.
"This oversight encourages security forces to act with impunity, leading to a cycle of resentment and retaliation.
"Using live bullets against peaceful protesters is a big problem. Even using tear gas is questionable in most cases. Hunger marches are a universal call for help, not just a Nigerian issue. They show that people are desperate, and the government needs to respond properly. The violent response to these hunger marches is a step backward, worse than the deadly response to the ENDSARS protests.
"It reminds me of colonial times when the government treated people with disdain, leading to protests and persecution. Security agencies should know about better ways to handle protests, as seen in other countries like France with the Yellow Vest movement, where they did not use guns against protesters.
"Using bullets where people are asking for bread is a dangerous step back and can lead to more desperate actions, including revolutions.
"It’s time for security agencies to stop using lethal force against peaceful protests. No nation is too poor or insecure to set an example by remembering its history and starting a lasting change.
"Today’s protesters might consider using the key songs from Hubert Ogunde’s 'Bread and Bullets' to remind the government of its failures. This cycle of violence must be broken."
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