By Taiwo Ajakaye
One major paradox of every recent protest across the world is the tag name “PEACEFUL PROTEST”. One reality of 98 per cent of recent “PEACEFUL PROTESTS” across the world is that they ended up being very violent and the cost to Nationhood is huge. That’s the paradox of PEACEFUL PROTEST from one Nation to another.
One thing is obvious, there will always be reasons to protest certain actions of Government which could easily be settled on the negotiation table, unfortunately and more often than not, people in Government seem to be cut off from the reality of citizens until there are moves to cause public unrest via “peaceful protest”. So, it is obvious that the role of protest will never be out of place as enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria and other Nations. However, the focus and purpose of every protest should be to gain attention and thereafter NEGOTIATE from the point of strength at the negotiating table. This is where the rubber meets the road, this is where peaceful protest becomes paradoxical, unfortunately.
Robert Greene the author of the famous book titled “48 Law of Power” succinctly captured the Paradox of PEACEFUL PROTEST when he practically summarized human nature in law 47 of the book: “The moment of victory is a moment of danger because you’re tempted to press your luck. Don’t let emotions push you past your goal. Stop, consolidate your gains, and prepare for new, different circumstances. Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory, learn when to stop.”
Every genuine lover of peace and progress who also believes that the Government must be held accountable hopes and wishes that the protest will yield positive results without metamorphosing into riots or insurrection. What most of us have tried to deny about the dynamics of events and human reality is that Things aren’t always what they seem to look like, You’re only seeing part of what you can see from your end There’s more than you could ever know Behind the scenes, especially in politics of Nations. Hyenas are always lurking around to take advantage of any protest for personal use. From that point, genuine protesters end up becoming useful tools in the hands of anonymous arsonists.
Yoruba adage says Ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ ogun là ńmọ̀; ẹni kan kì í mọ ìparí í rẹ̀, meaning The beginning of war is what everyone knows; no one knows how it will end. The cost of so-called peaceful protest across the world has always been beyond the intended plan. Before you commit yourself to this “peaceful protest”, please count the cost of its paradoxical end which is predictable based on recent events in Kenya and other places.
The human cost of protest in Kenya so far has resulted in the loss of at least 39 people losing their lives unfortunately since their PEACEFUL PROTEST started on June 18, 2024.
Let’s not even count Many others were injured, detained or incapacitated one way or the other which may never recover again. Why did this happen during peaceful protests that ought to lead to the negotiating table? When Government officials yield a bit to our demands, people tend to go past the mark they initially aimed for; in victory, they did not learn when to stop. It turned to “Politician must go”.
The protest in Kenya have caused economic disruption as expected, many businesses already shut down, and the transportation systems distorted.
How about damages to infrastructure and properties, with estimates suggesting over $5 million in damages that public funds will still be used to fix after the PEACEFUL PROTEST in Kenya that has been struggling with their economy even before the protest? These are the unintended costs of the peaceful protest paradox in our present universe. Should Nigeria witness another one before counting the cost of this protest paradox especially when the Government is responding to some of the complaints?
After the Peaceful protest in Ghana, the economic crisis is worsening. Consumer inflation topped 37% by the end of 2022 which was their 21-year peak. Currency has lost more than 40% of it’s value making it one of the worst-performing currencies in West Africa and it doesn’t seem things are even getting better till now. The cost of living just like in Nigeria and other places is getting worse. If a protest can fix these things, shouldn’t it be going down?
If you think “this can only happen in Africa”, let me show you the end of “PEACEFUL PROTEST” in the saner climes like the USA. Capitol riot started just like a peaceful protest, until it turned into insurrection within 24 hours of January 6, 2021.
The protest cost the loss of five human beings, including a Police and Airforce Veteran. Over 1,400 people have been charged with federal crimes relating to the event with many sentenced to jail already for participating in that “protest”.
Following the riots, Two Capitol police officers reportedly died by suicide. Just like it happens often here in the “developing Country”, at least 174 Police officers were reportedly assaulted, so human beings are the same everywhere under the same circumstances.
According to the Government Accountability Office of the United States of America, the Capitol riot cost America an estimate of $2.7 billion.
Deployment of National Guardsmen to Washington, D.C., through March 15, 2021, was estimated at $483 million. Other damages on the Capitol building and grounds,
Capitol Police itself, the District of Columbia, and federal agencies were costs that would eventually be fixed from citizens’ taxes. These are unintended paradoxes of so-called “peaceful protests” when we are not ready to end it at the negotiation table.
EndSARs Protest in Nigeria started with a legitimate protest against the brutality of a Police special squad called SARs. Not long after PEACEFUL PROTESTERS noticed that the Government was yielding to their demands and the #5for5 and SARs were dissolved by the Inspector General of Police on the 11th of October 2020. The 5 demands were even conveyed by the Governor of Lagos who volunteered to represent the other 35 Governors in Nigeria when he took the demand to the President in Abuja.
Unfortunately, Lagos which yielded more to the concerns of the protesters became the major casualty of that protest. Given the breakdown of the Economic cost of the EndSARS protest at Lagos Business School in December 2020, the loss was estimated way above $12 billion. The entire economy of Rwanda as a Nation was less than the impact of such “PEACEFUL PROTEST” in Lagos State.
Remember the paradox of Peaceful Protest and reconsider what Robert Greene said in his book “48 Law of Power” again: “The moment of victory is a moment of danger because you’re tempted to press your luck. Don’t let emotions push you past your goal. Stop, consolidate your gains, and prepare for new, different circumstances. Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory, learn when to stop.”
If you look around in a Protest and there are no leaders to take responsibility for leading the protest, be rest assured that some people are behind the scenes USING some “peaceful protesters” as tool for their political and economic game of throne. If you look around and you cannot point to the tools being used, look in the mirror please, the person you see in that mirror is among the USEFUL TOOLS to bring anarchy through protest. Don’t play yourself into the game you know little about, everything will still end at the round table of negotiation.