The #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria movement has declared October 1, 2024, as National Survival Day, calling for nationwide protests against the rising hardship and poverty in the country. The group is also demanding the immediate release of protesters detained during recent demonstrations against government policies.
In a press release, the group stated, “We the undersigned support the declaration of October 1st, 2024 as ‘National Day of Survival.’ On this day, we call on the Nigerian people—workers, students, youth, the unemployed, traders, and the poor—to come out in peaceful protest and demonstrations against the excruciating condition of hardship, poverty, and hunger imposed on us by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to implement IMF/World Bank-inspired anti-poor capitalist policies.”
The policies referenced include the hikes in fuel prices, electricity tariffs, school fees, and the devaluation of the naira, which the group claims have exacerbated the suffering of millions of Nigerians. The statement further urged citizens to use the day to demand the “immediate and unconditional release of all #EndSARS and #EndBadGovernance protesters in police and prison custodies as well as freedom for detained journalists, whistleblowers, activists, and all victims of state repression.”
‘No Reason to Celebrate This Independence Day’
While October 1 typically marks Nigeria’s independence from colonial rule, the group argued that there is little to celebrate in 2024. “We do not think our country has anything to celebrate this year. Nigerians are neither happy nor free after 64 years of political independence from Colonial Britain. The Nigerian masses are poor and hungry,” the statement read. It went on to criticise President Tinubu’s administration, saying that “since coming to power, the Tinubu administration has imposed unprecedented hardship on millions of Nigerians and pushed them into multi-dimensional poverty and monumental misery.”
The group highlighted the devastating impact of these economic policies, noting that “many working families are at the point of starvation, several people have lost their jobs, and the middle class has been destroyed.” They also cited a disturbing rise in suicide rates as evidence of the despair many Nigerians are facing.
The press release did not hold back in its criticism of the government’s response to dissent, accusing the administration of resorting to repressive tactics to stifle opposition. “President Tinubu’s government has employed brutal and repressive measures to quell any opposition to his policies. Basic civil liberties, like freedom of expression, association, and lawful assembly, that usually distinguish free citizens from slaves, are now largely absent in our country,” the group lamented.
Call for a Massive Nationwide Protest
In its concluding remarks, the advocacy group issued a rallying cry to all Nigerians to mobilise for the National Survival Day protests. “These, and many more, are the reasons we have named October 1st a ‘National Day of Survival.’ It is a day for the Nigerian people to come together at barricades across the country to reflect on the journey of nationhood so far and take a decision on how to rescue our country from the condition of mass poverty in the midst of abundance,” the statement declared.
The group also called on progressive organisations, trade unions, student groups, and youth movements to “begin to organise towards ensuring a massive but peaceful nationwide demonstration on this ‘National Day of Survival.’ The October 1st action is an urgent cry to the Tinubu administration to address our demands immediately.”
This announcement marks the latest in a series of protests against the government’s policies, as citizens continue to grapple with the escalating cost of living and dwindling economic opportunities. The call for action on October 1 signals a growing movement of discontent and a demand for urgent change.