By Deborah Olaiya
The organizers of the #EndBadGovernance movement have announced plans for a new protest, scheduled for October 1, 2024, which coincides with Nigeria’s Independence Day. The protest has been dubbed the “National Day of Survival,” with organizers citing grievances over certain policies implemented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
During a press briefing at the International Press Center in Ogba, Lagos, Hassan Taiwo Soweto, coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), stated that the protest is a response to what the organizers describe as worsening economic conditions, including the effects of naira devaluation and the removal of fuel subsidies. The organizers claim that these policies, influenced by international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have led to increased poverty and hardship for Nigerians.
Several groups are involved in organizing the protest, including the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC), Movement for Fundamental Change (MFC), Joint Action Front (JAF), Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), Yoruba Revolutionary Movement (YOREM), Coalition for Concerned Nigerian Citizens (CCNC), Initiative for a Better and Brighter Nigeria (IBBN), Movement for African Emancipation (MAE), Pan-African Consciousness Renaissance (PACOR-Nigeria), and the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR).
The organizers have called on Nigerians to join a peaceful protest on October 1, 2024, advocating for policy changes such as the restoration of pre-subsidy removal fuel prices, the reduction of food prices, and support for farmers to ensure sustainable food production. Additionally, they demand a review of electricity tariffs and an end to what they describe as neoliberal policies promoted by the IMF.
Hassan Taiwo Soweto urged various groups, unions, and youth organizations to participate in the peaceful protest, describing it as a necessary step to address the economic challenges facing the nation. He emphasized that if their demands are not met, further demonstrations may follow.
The October 1 protest has been tagged #FearlessInOctober.