Protests: Falana Urges Nigeria to Safeguard Its Democracy

Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, strongly criticises any efforts to incite chaos in the nation following the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations. He emphasises that Nigeria must not permit a few individuals to disrupt its democratic system.

The rallies began on August 1 and had mostly proceeded without any major disruptions. The initial demonstrations resulted in widespread looting and significant damage in certain northern regions. There have been concerns raised due to the sight of protesters waving the Russian flag.

After the incident, Falana urged authorities to protect Nigeria’s democracy.

Some of us were also engaged in the fight for democratisation, just like several African nations who were involved in the battle against apartheid and colonialism in the Southern African region.

I’m currently deeply engaged in the campaign against Morocco’s colonisation of Western Sahara. It is crucial that we remain vigilant and proactive in safeguarding the democratic process against any attempts to undermine it.

We are confident that our protest will be conducted peacefully. We may have differing opinions from those in positions of authority. We must strongly criticise the withholding of the benefits of democracy from our citizens. However, it is important to ensure that peaceful protests do not provide an opportunity for repressive forces to push for an unconstitutional change of government or advocate for military rule.

He recognised that the nation is grappling with problems that could have sparked demonstrations.

However, he emphasised the importance of not allowing any obstacles to hinder the democratic process.

Falana criticised the calls for military rule, highlighting the nation’s history of fighting against dictatorship.

We have enjoyed a continuous period of civil rule for 25 years. So, it’s interesting to note that individuals who are currently 40 years old were likely teenagers when the military was ousted from power,” the legal practitioner remarked.

For the younger generation in Nigeria, particularly those under 40, there is a significant gap in their knowledge about the country’s history. Unfortunately, the education system has failed to adequately teach them about the experiences Nigerians endured during the era of military dictators and the Civil War. As a result, these important chapters of our history remain largely untold in schools.

There is a growing sentiment among young people in different regions of the country advocating for conflict. Therefore, I think it’s important for us to glean valuable insights from this experience.