DEAR NIGERIAN STUDENTS AS YOU PROTEST

 Dear Nigerian Students,

 

 These are sad times in the tertiary education sector of the country.

 I was in the university when ASUU strike commenced during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency. The government signed a contract with ASUU after almost a year of students sitting at home. (2009 & 2010).

 My goal is not to rehash history.

 Today the International and local airports in Lagos were blocked by protesting NANS.

 I do understand your plight. Truthfully, I fear empathy for your plight will wane in the eyes of the masses.

 It is not the masses that should be your target.

 If the protests had happened in Abuja which is the seat of power and where the president and all the ministers, senators etc. reside, it would have made more sense in my opinion.

We are all allowed to have an opinion and this post is mine.

Dear Nigerian students, be strategic.

How?

1. 1)      Block Aso Rock whenever your Ajala the traveler president is in town. Feel free to occupy it for days on end.
2. 2)      The National Assembly resumes tomorrow, 20^th September after another one of their countless recesses. Block them too.
3. 3)      There are State Assemblies in every state. Block them.
4. 4)      Block the State Government houses too.
5. 5)      Don’t forget to invite international and local press so the embarrassment can be televised and reported.

6)      Make the protests in these locations simultaneous i.e let them all happen at the same time and day.

 Your protests will be the major news in all international, national, state and local TV stations and media. It won’t just be a byline in a few that the lagos airport was blocked.

 Having the protests same day nationwide shows organization and uniformity, also shows that you all mean business.

 

 I understand the thinking of the government makes money from the Lagos airports and ports but it seems like a ‘penny wise, pound foolish’ move to me.

  It is the commoners in Lagos that suffered and will still suffer or is that the goal to make the masses, your parents and guardians inclusive, poorer in this harsh unstable economy?

 You feel the government will lose money from your actions but what about mum and dad? What about Bode that saved all he had to pay his flight ticket and finally leave the country for a better life and you made him miss his flight? What about Iya Bilikisu that needs to get to the market and hawk the food she prepared so she and her children won’t starve but had to spend hours in traffic and when she got to her destination, the food had gone bad? ETC.

 Let’s not be crabs. Grinding the international airport and ports should be a last resort.

Well, these are my thoughts. What are yours?

 

Best wishes,

Frances Okeke.