On January 2012, top movie and music practitioners joined other numerous
angry Nigerians, took to the streets to #OccupyNigeria and protest
against the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan for
removing fuel subsidy. In the past three weeks, when the fuel price was
increased to N145, after subsidy was removed, all the people who engaged
in that protest started regretting taking such step. While many open
their mouths behind close doors, few others are becoming louder. Among
them is award winning film director, Dickson Iroegbu, who last night
took to his Facebook page to write an open letter of apology to Jonathan
over the 2012 #OccupyNigeria protest. Read On!
Dear Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, I write to apologize on
behalf of myself and the many repentant Nigerians like me who ganged up against
your government in 2012. Your government's policy to remove subsidy on the
Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as patrol was completely
misconstrued by us. I was personally deceived by my overzealous comradely
towards millions of Nigerians who had traveled to various locations at that
time to spend Christmas with their loved ones.
I was particularly concerned about NDIIGBO who traditionally
returned home in droves during this period every year. Sir, like millions of
Nigerians I worked for your victory at the polls in 2011, but I considered the
untoward hardship the removal of subsidy on the 1st of January 2012 as
insensitive. It was simply seen as going to inflict serious hardship on the
millions who voted you to power; hence we arose against it.
Yes I did join the protest, but my dear Sir, I did not
consider the long term positive effect it would have on the economy of our
beloved nation at that particular moment. We joined forces with the NLC and the
TUC, and alongside your political enemies we mobilized hundreds of thousands of
people in protest across the nation.
I matched with my colleagues from my then abode in Aguda
through Surulere (National Stadium), to Ojelegba, through Maryland, to Ojota
where we met a marmot crowd. The police and all other law enforcement agents
under your democratic leadership were very civil with us; we were never
harassed or molested nor killed. In fact a certain overzealous police man who
accidentally shot at a young man in Mushin area in Lagos during that protest
was not only dismissed from service, but he was also prosecuted and jailed!
SIR, YOU ARE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A DEMOCRATIC LEADER IN
AFRICA!
There in Ojota, Pastor Tunde Bakare and Sheik Ahmad Abubakar
Gumi and Seun Kuti, and many many others were there. Even my brother Okey
Bakassi was there too! We sang and danced, we gyrated, we cooked and slept
there in the open arena protected by the police, the civil defence, etc.
The next day we woke up matched on to Ikoyi and converged at
Falamo bridge, where Ali Baba, Prof. Pat Utomi, and the rich men children were
gathered - we had matched through YABA and IDUMOTA, chanting the resurrected
songs of King Fela Anikulapo Kuti. We called you names like, the shameless
shoeless one, the animal in human skin, innumerable and unprintable names!
Even when you came out in a nationwide broadcast and
addressed the people as President and father of the nation explaining why you
took that unpopular decision, urging the masses to understand and bear with you
for a while, we said no way! We remained adamant! We booed you! We insulted
you!
Mr. President Sir, please find it in your heart to forgive
us. We did not know what we were doing then; but we understand better now. The
same people who deceived us have turned around and increase the pump price
through the back door, in the guise of subsidy removal. They have inflicted
hardship on the Nigerian masses you love so much. You were not perfect, but you
were a loving father to all of us, you were President and C-in-C to the North,
South, West and the East, but we vilified and treated you with disrespect and
ignominy.
Sir, the economy that flourished under your watch as
President which positioned us as number one economy in Africa and one of 25
fastest growing economies in the world is now at its lowest ebb in just one
year of misrule. In just one year of your exit Nigeria our beloved country has
become a shadow of herself! The picture is so gloomy, inflation rate is so
high! The masses cannot even put food on their tables, darkness everywhere,
electricity generation is at all time very lowest - killings and maiming, evil
looms; our nation Nigeria is under attack!
May be you could just say a word of prayer sir, "May
Nigeria not erupt in flames and violence under the current draconian
administration" - Sir I say that because there is so much hunger in the
land, and as they say, a hungry man is an angry man! A HUNGRY PEOPLE NA
CONFUSION!
Please find it in your heart to forgive and forget, for
indeed we ganged up against you wrongly. We didn't know that we were doing
wrong to our-own-selves. May God bless you with long life and good health.
Warm regards.
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