Tinubu’s Speech – A Missed Opportunity to Address Protesters’ Demands

Tinubu’s Speech – A Missed Opportunity to Address Protesters’ Demands

By Matthew Eloyi

In his address to the nation on Sunday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu attempted to quell the unrest sparked by widespread protests. Despite the apparent sincerity in his tone, the speech glaringly missed the mark by failing to address the core demands of the protesters, leaving many disillusioned and frustrated.

President Tinubu began by acknowledging the turmoil and violence that have erupted in various states, expressing his sorrow over the loss of lives and destruction of properties. However, this expression of empathy seemed hollow when juxtaposed with the president’s subsequent failure to engage meaningfully with the protesters’ grievances.

The protesters, predominantly young Nigerians, have taken to the streets with legitimate demands for a better and more progressive nation. They seek substantial reforms, including restoration of fuel subsidies, job creation, improved governance, an end to inflation, and the eradication of systemic corruption. Yet, the president’s speech offered little more than platitudes, focusing instead on condemning the violence and urging the suspension of protests for dialogue—a call that has been repeatedly ignored by previous administrations with little to show for it.

Tinubu’s emphasis on maintaining public order and his warning against those he perceives to be exploiting the situation for political gains came off as a thinly veiled threat rather than a genuine invitation to constructive dialogue. His insistence that the government will not stand idly by while a few individuals tear the nation apart fails to recognise the broader discontent that has fueled these protests. It is not a few individuals, but a substantial portion of the populace that feels marginalized and unheard.

Furthermore, the president’s recounting of economic achievements, such as the removal of fuel subsidies and efforts to boost government revenue, while noteworthy, seemed disconnected from the immediate realities facing ordinary Nigerians. The economic reforms highlighted, though significant, do not directly address the urgent needs for employment opportunities, affordable living, and transparency in governance that the protesters are clamouring for.

The speech also touched on infrastructure projects, the revitalization of the oil and gas industry, and initiatives aimed at empowering the youth through various schemes. However, these long-term plans do little to assuage the immediate anger and frustration of the populace. The president’s assertion that the administration is focused on delivering good governance rings hollow when there is a glaring disconnect between the government’s priorities and the people’s urgent needs.

In a particularly tone-deaf segment, Tinubu mentioned the vandalism of a digital centre during the protests, lamenting the destruction of a facility meant to empower the youth. This focus on the destruction of property rather than the underlying issues driving the protests underscores the administration’s failure to grasp the depth of the discontent.

While Tinubu’s speech was filled with promises of future prosperity and calls for unity, it lacked the concrete measures and immediate actions necessary to address the protesters’ demands. The president’s vision for a just and prosperous nation, though laudable, appears to be a distant dream rather than a present reality for many Nigerians.

In conclusion, President Tinubu’s speech, while aiming to restore calm, ultimately fell short by not addressing the core issues at the heart of the protests. The administration’s focus on economic reforms and infrastructural development, though important, does not suffice in the face of widespread dissatisfaction with governance and systemic inequities. The president must go beyond rhetoric and take tangible actions to meet the protesters’ demands, ensuring that every Nigerian can indeed enjoy the peace, freedom, and meaningful livelihood that he envisions. Without this, the promise of a brighter future remains just that—a promise.