Protest Dey Work O: Chronology Of Mass Actions That Shaped Nigeria, Written by Banwo Olagokun

You will always hear from analysts, ruling class social media influencers, advocates, critics and existentialists always say “protest no dey work”, “make una wait for elections”, “everything is in the hands of God” and most filmsy of the excuses “you cannot defeat the government” which is the easiest way for the conscious and unconscious enablers of the regime to demobilize unsuspecting patriots.

Historically, it is not true, from pre independence anti colonial movements till our fourth Republic mass actions, Nigerians have proven to be a people of resistance, infact, our nation was born out of resistance, independence wasn’t a gift but results of protests. I will rather give a Chronology of protests that made government to improve the welfare and economy at different political epoch than unnecessarily bore you with verbose rhetorics.

1. 1929 – Aba Women protest made the people colonial masters and their local collaborators to stop taxing children, women and livestock.
2. 1945 General strike – The strike and protest was against government’s refusal to increase wages after years of severe inflation. It lasted for 52 days. The government acceded to their demands and increased wages
3. 1949 – Egba Women forced Alake of Egba land to abdicate the throne after they protested against multiple taxation under his reign

4.1949 – iva valley mining workers strike in Enugu against brutal working conditions and non payment of salaries which metamorphosed into anti colonial movement and eventually independence

5. 1940s to 1960 aggressive and persistent anti colonial movements like the zikist, awoist and many others led to independence of Nigeria
6. 1978 – Ali must Go protest against introduction of school fees under the obasanjo regime (To obey IMF and World Bank orders), university students were given bursaries, have their meals subsidized, etc. Some used to buy cars with their bursaries! The protest caused the obasanjo regime to reverse and removed the introduction of school fees. Federal universities became free from then till early 90s.
7. 2020: #Endsars protest. Reduced police brutality to unprecedented low before the new surge in police brutality. It also struck fear in the heart of the ruling class to atleast respect uprising of angry masses
8. 2021 #occupylekki protest against the reopening of Lekki tollgate. The action is responsible for lock down of lekki and ikoyi toll gate till today without a single tolling.

I just laugh when people that are government paid PR machine push “protest no dey work” narrative on social media and maybe for lack of history in our primary and secondary school curriculum, so many believe whatever a popular influencer or celebrity say.

From media engagements, one would notice different reasons why the state sponsored narrative become prevalent and accepted by many citizens, some are understandably afraid of state repression, some are impatient and dream of one mass action that will overhaul the entire system at once, hence their ridicule for one point demand protest like #Endsars (which later had five demands) or workers minimum wage protest by workers union , Nigerian nurses forum protest against the draconian verification rule by NMCN.

In the naysayers’ view, those type of actions are waste of time and only meant for infantile radicals like some captured and surrendered citizens would scornfully say. What they have failed to realize is that actions like this are necessary and exemplary templates that become catalyst for mass uprising they are day dreaming of. If foremost activists had resolved to advocacy and collective bargaining, elections and judiciary, we wouldn’t be here today. Only Synergy of Nigerians can trigger the revolt, when we show solidarity with all pro working class struggle, being sectarian and selective on which actions to support or join is our major impediment.