Politic is a contact sport. Right now, there needs to be contact between the leadership of Nigeria and the Nigerian people to calm things down.
This is necessary because even those who called for this protest have lost control. And while interventions from traditional and religious leaders can help, such mediation has limits.
Protests in a country like Nigeria are often an economic opportunity for looters and others who want to cash out from a state of tension.
To nip this in the bud, I urge President Tinubu to either call a National Council of State meeting, or give a National Broadcast, or even do both.
Douse water on the fire. Make some concessions. May I humbly suggest to the President to consider further reductions in the cost of governance by cutting his salary and that of every appointee of the Federal Government, and to limit all ministers to only two official cars in their convoy. One for them and the other for their security.
An announcement that any planned purchase of a presidential jet will be shelved will go a long way.
To show that the President feels the people’s pains, perhaps the President can make some concessions by temporarily returning the electricity subsidy for six months. Not fuel subsidy. The subsidy on power. That will ease the burdens of Nigerians and show that we have a listening President.
Finally, the President may want to grant a year’s tax holiday to every person earning minimum wage to give them room to adjust to the changes in our economy.
However, doing nothing at the presidential level is the worst strategy. History will forgive a leader who makes the wrong decision. But not the one who takes no action.
There have already been some deaths. That is most unfortunate. But if the government acts proactively, there may be no more deaths, and normalcy could be restored.
