Comment
The Writing On The Wall
The Head of the Federal Military Government had been telling soldiers that they should not forget that civilians can and have been known to overthrow military governments. Maj-Gen. Buhari obviously knew his military political history and he illustrated his warnings with the Sudanese experience of 20 years ago. Not long afterwards, Sudan proved the point again by helping to oust Gen. Numeiry.
The traditional May Day celebrations did not go quite according to the way the FMG had wanted it. The civilians did not exactly start any battles with the authorities, and considering that not many people are willing to argue with guns, the people still managed to make their displeasure known.
In what must be the clearest demonstration of public displeasure against the efforts of Maj-Gen. Buhari and his colleagues, the workers forced the May Day celebrations in Lagos to a precipitate end. The Labour, Employment and Productivity Minister who represented the Head of State left the parade ground hurriedly without taking the salute. The workers booed the labour leaders and refused to hear the speech of the Nigerian Labour Congress President, Alhaji Ali Chiroma, for they felt he and the Congress had offered them no protection against the Government.
The demonstrations were contained and did not spread on to the streets but it was obvious that the FMG will ignore them at their own peril.
It has been characteristic these past 16 months for the government to blame every unpleasantness on subversionists and outside influences trying to overthrow them. It would not be surprising if the official reaction to the demonstration was a condemnation of subversive activities.
Unfortunately, very few people inside the country or out of it will be impressed by the 'subversion factor'. It is difficult to convince a hungry person that his shouts for help are instigated by "disgruntled politicians".
The messages that the workers tried to give the government were quite clear enough: the workers were getting a particularly raw deal and they were unhappy.
What must be recognised is that there is a measure of desperation involved in the situation which made it possible for people to risk official displeasure by making their views known. Nobody is under any illusion now about how ruthlessly the FMG would deal with their perceived 'enemies'. The workers who brought out their protest placards at the parade ground in Lagos knew that they were likely to be treated as 'subvertionists' but their desperate situations made them ready to take the risk.
It could not have been lost on anybody that a week before May Day, Maj-Gen. Tunde Idiagbon had announced the discovery of even more "subversive groups". The three that he had identified were all, according to him, located in universities and colleges of higher education.
Many people must have asked themselves that what is Nigeria coming to when the organisation of PUBLIC lectures and symposia at which matters of public concern are discussed can be deemed subversive. People would wonder about what they can talk about when university lecturers and students cannot debate issues that agitate the collective mind of the country.
It might be difficult for Maj-Gen. Buhari and his colleagues to appreciate, but the fact still remains that it is better for everybody if people will discuss and debate openly the issues that concern them and even more important, that there is nothing remotely 'subversive' about such symposia or lectures. On the contrary, such lectures and symposia are in the interest of the government and if they will only listen, it is possible they might avert the kind of scenes that were enacted all over Nigeria on May Day and which would end up like the street scenes in Khartoum which ultimately brought down Gen. Numeiri.
As Maj-Gen. Buhari himself must surely know, no amount of force can stop such demonstrations once they get going. He might succeed in stopping the press from reporting them, but they will continue.
Things need not, however, end up the Sudanese way. Apart from allowing public discussions and listening to what the people are saying, there is a way of buying some time. Maj-Gen. Buhari can announce a definite time table for a return to constitutional rule. That will be a definite demonstration to the people that theirs is indeed only a temporary administration and that power will be restored to where it belongs - the people.
Maybe, many people will also take heart from the knowledge that their present sufferings are only temporary and they can look forward to a time when they will have a say in how they are being governed and making their displeasure known without fear of intimidation. Whether the FMG realise or accept it or not, they cannot rule Nigeria without the acquiescence of the people, in spite of all the sophisticated armoury they have been buying.
The warning signs have been given
