By Lamide Akintobi
‘Let me entertain you’, as the line in the song by British artist Robbie Williams goes, is apt to describe Day 2 of the mass protest that took place in Lagos at the Gani Fawehinmi Park in Ojota today.
Popular Fuji musicians such as Malaika, Salawa Abeni, Pasuma, Tekoma, and Ata Wewe performed, alongside artistes like Olu Maintain, eLDee, Eedris, Zeez, Dudu of Krazy Kulture, Seun Kuti, Femi Kuti, Dede Mabiaku, Djinee, Bez, Sound Sultan and others. Apart from musicians, entertainers Gbenga Adeyinka, Desmond Elliot, Ufoma Ejeanabor, Bimbo Akintola, Wale Adebayo, Kunle Afolayan and Portia Yamahan were spotted in the crowd and on the stage.
With Pastor Tunde Bakare and other activists speaking to a crowd much larger than yesterday’s, today appeared much more organized – A larger stage, sophisticated P.A system, negligible police presence, and a refined message.
Despite staying adamant on the reversal of fuel prices to N65, speaker after speaker also railed against government corruption, excessive spending, the lack of infrastructure and the seeming lack of concern for Nigeria’s poor, who make up over half the country’s 140M people.
The crowd at Ojota, many of them low-income earners, shouted and chanted in agreement with the message, with many smaller groups walking around the park with placards condemning the Federal Government and corruption, with some even asking for the president’s resignation and expressing their unhappiness with sayings such as: ‘Don’t Trust the man who had no shoes’. T-Shirts with slogans such as ‘Kill Corruption, Not Subsidy’ and ‘I Love 9Ja’ were also common.
Musicians who went on stage echoed these messages, adding performances to keep the crowd’s attention. But while they seemed to be enthused, for the most part, there were aspects of the ‘entertainment’ that were questionable.
Sound issues affected most performances, but this wasn’t as important as the selection, and attitude of some of the entertainers present. Many of them came, spoke to the crowd, performed a song, and left shortly after. With the exception of Seun Kuti, Dede Mabiaku, eLDee and Kunle Afolayan, among others, it seemed some were there to make sure they were seen to be part of the struggle, without actually staying to protest with the masses. Perhaps the organizers saw value in attracting celebrities to help work the crowd, but selecting a singer whose hit song is about cyber-crime, material wealth and extravagance was questionable, to say the least. ‘Yahoozee’ singer Olu Maintain also threw his diamond ring and gold watch into the crowd, prompting a mini-frenzy. Eedris, whose song ‘Jaga Jaga’ was a hit a decade ago, also had a lacklustre performance. Overall, the atmosphere was more like that of a free concert, than a gathering of protesters.
For the non-performers, many took time out for photo ops and networking, while unanimously condemning the subsidy removal and corruption.
Unlike Day 1, it was a more commercial setting, with increased buying and selling going on. A big negative was the free flow of marijuana around the park, with people openly wrapping and smoking hemp, which may have contributed to small pockets of disorder around the stage area.
Elsewhere in Lagos, on the island, former presidential candidate Pat Utomi, and rapper-designer Sasha were among other citizens who protested from Victoria Island to Falomo, stopping at the homes of ACN chieftain Bola Tinubu, Zenon Oil boss Femi Otedola, and boardroom veteran Oba Otudeko.
The protest enters day 3 tomorrow.
8 comments
Jonathan must leave the presidence chair now or else he will follow the path that lead to destruction cos we nigerian are not happy with him at all. Now his name is no more Goodluck but Badluck rather. If he doesn’t bring down the fuel price to normal 65per liter then he’s going to eat Apple or drink tea. Mr ebele wajona’tan think well.
We shuld all keep prayin 4 our country, Nigeria. 4 God 2 interceed 4 us.
If d fuck, selfish, primitive, and ignorance of the people wish man so called johnathan or Nigeria president can’t do without the removal of fuel subsidy he should resign. I hate him, i regret voting 4 him.
Mr badluck pls if u cannot do reduce d price of fuel u can reduce d power of boko haram .idiot
CALL TO DUTY: Fellow Nigerians, there’s no going back. We’ve started already, we shall not stop! Don’t underestimate d little information u re-broadcast in dat ur small living room. It’s going a long way in promoting dis struggle. The Egyptian spring started & was sustained via social media like this. Now d call is for us to help our husbands, wives, friends, wives, sisters, brothers, uncles & aunts dat work in Zenith bank and Civil servants in Abia State. NLC/TUC and OccupyNigeria should call Jim Ovia of Zenithbank & Theodore Orji of Abia State to order NOW. They are threatening their staff & workers to resume work tomorrow and boycott the strike or face sack. These two men are saboteurs & enemies of this please rebroadcast and reshare on ur bbm and fb,twitter.
Jonah!!! Jonah!!!, Hear the voice of the Lord saying: Abacha and Mariam went into ASO ROCK, only Mariam came out alive. Obasanjo and Stella went into ASO ROCK, only Obasanjo came out alive. YAR’ADUA and Turai went into ASO ROCK, only Turai came out alive… JONAH!!! JONAH!!! Ur wife PATIENCE already prophesied on National T.V saying “MY FELLOW WIDOWS”:be careful if u like ur life nd family.
Jonathan don’t think you are safe …thinking that nothing can reach u on the high horse u are sitting its just 3 years remaining for you to write ur name in gold ….nigerians are angry with u and ur wife as well as ur ministers
No work no pay!