Comments on: Light up Nigeria – what we need are flyers & a Banksy

By: anengiyefa

anengiyefa — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:19:41 +0000

@ Coach Rosie, what you say is true. But we cannot ignore the overbearing nature of the authorities in Nigeria, or pretend that they have at anytime in recent history acceded to popular protest. What we have seen consistently is brutal suppression of dissent. A good comparison is with the situation in Myanmar. No amount of internal protest has deterred the generals in that country from persisting in their brutality towards the country’s citizenry. Even strong international pressure has proved to be futile.

It is not the absence of protest or the lack of discontent in Nigeria that has caused the appalling situation in the country. It is the uncaring nature of the country’s leaders and the failure of successive Nigerian governments, who have seemed to be oblivious over the years of their responsibilty and their duty of care towards the Nigerian general population. The lack of accountability is the real problem here, and this is what intelligent Nigerians should be looking to address, with a view to bringing about a change in the system as a whole. Merely shouting in protest is not going to be enough, I don’t think, regardless of technology, regardless that we are doing it on the Internet and regardless that millions of us are joining in it.
.-= anengiyefa´s last blog ..The joy of the Post Office workers’ strike =-.

By: Coach Rosie

Coach Rosie — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 20:08:04 +0000

@anengiyefa
Normally I would agree with you Anengiyefa, but the main difference today is technology. In times before a protest could be quietened and kept to a village or town meeting before it was broken up by authorities. Today they cannot do that when it starts on the net. These early stirrings could mimic what happens when you get a drip of water that cannot be stopped. It grows bigger and bigger until it becomes so heavy something has to give. I have to say this is the first initiative from that part of the world that sounds quite interesting.

There is not one Nigerian that you will mention this to that will not have his own story to tell and there lies its power. It is universal. It’s beginnings on the net shouldn’t preclude any other methodology or age groups and remember we are even discussing this subject only because of this initiative – so the fire has started.

Things can happen….think of Live Aid starting fom a guy in his room watching the news or maybe even Barack Obama’s looooong climb to the presidency – how many folks said ‘not in my lifetime?’

I certainly will be taking a look at their page or site and telling everyone relevant about it to help its growth. I only hope that the people involved don’t get in THEIR OWN way of progress which has been a somewhat repeating pattern with Naijans. Onwards and upwards I say!

By: Beauty

Beauty — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:24:50 +0000

This is confirming that I got it but overwhelmed by the amount of info & topics. Here is a repost of my comment lost in that sea of ideas.

LUN goals and aims are all in the Good People, Great Nation, Corrupt Government brand. That is a good place to look for future LUN successes.

@OSIZE and others that do not get what this is about or why it is being done should first take time to read the full post. It is in knowledge that one can contribute.

@Sokari, of course, we have your full support but Nigerians cannot go out on the streets! Our people in Nigeria are not free to think about choice let alone make it, the elections are won before the polls open and that is a reason Obama went to Ghana.

LUN as a beacon of hope affirming a lot of us do not wish to blow up our people in order to make a point. MEND does not have to join the FGN in its horrific activities, there is no future in a continued state of war. Everyone dies!

We talk a lot about what ought to be done, we agree on how it is to be done and we go get it done. LUN seemed to be in all these phases at the same time and I am glad that @N.I.M.M.O approves. However, LUN is not a logo or a rallying cry of a hero on horseback. Its what you make it. Lets Tweet some more.
.-= Beauty´s last blog ..Home – a film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand =-.

By: 27 months » Weekly Quick Hits

27 months » Weekly Quick Hits — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 12:38:37 +0000

[...] collects critical reactions to the online campaign and suggests that what Nigeria really needs are flyers and a Banksy to address the problem at the street [...]

By: Sokari

Sokari — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:53:53 +0000

@anengiyefa – The protest has to be strategic with action focused – it has to mobilise people to think and to act – otherwise it will not work.

By: anengiyefa

anengiyefa — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:42:21 +0000

@Sokari, far from being defeatist, the view I was expressing is an acknowledgement of the reality that mere protesting has proved to be insufficient in the past. Also, there was a hint of the suggestion that perhaps a change of tack will not go amis as things stand at the moment, since successive Nigerian governments have shown themselves to be quite adept at ignoring protest. Are there things that we can do beyond just protesting? That is the direction I believe we should be directing our minds. .-= anengiyefa´s last blog ..What to do? =-.

By: Sokari

Sokari — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:21:10 +0000

@Anengiyefa Yes the electricity and general lack of infrastructure is an embarrassment but I find your comment defeatist. Just because something has not worked before does not mean it will not work in the future. Times are changing and people are becomming more aware of the possibilities of a better future – more than that they want a better future. There is a great deal of change taking place and this movement can rise up if focused and there is determination. The alternative – to sit and accept the status quo – is for me not an option. We might as well sit down and weep and wail which will get us no where. We should not condemn people for trying and being optimistic.

By: anengiyefa

anengiyefa — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:45:45 +0000

I’m sorry, but I cannot find optimism. I am not aware that since independence public agitation has ever achieved anything in Nigeria, where the culture has been the ruthless suppression of dissent. It wasn’t that long ago that Fela’s Shrine was closed down by he authorities because Femi had inspired locals to protest against the appalling electricity supply situation in that part of Lagos.

Granted that this LUN campaign will not be easily suppressed, but I cannot think of it as anything more than the endless but futile wailing and moaning that Nigerians have been doing for decades, all to no avail. As an aside, I think it is embarrassing that in the 21st Century, what Nigerians are fighting for is the right to be supplied constant electricity.
.-= anengiyefa´s last blog ..What to do? =-.

By: Sokari

Sokari — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:58:13 +0000

Nneoma @ Thanks for stopping by and taking the trouble to explain the campaign more fully. It has my support and lets hope that we can actually break this one

By: nneoma

nneoma — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:25:16 +0000

i read your comment on the NT.org website in response to my post. Yes, I do see your point that the movement should not be limited to youth. However, I can’t contain my excitement that LUN was largely youth-initiated and came shortly after the stinging criticisms by Abati and co about the backwardness of our generation. I did not mean to alienate any particular age, ethnic, economic group or otherwise. And personally, I think that LUN, as a group should make sure that in their operations they take great pains to be more inclusive. There is the potential that if LUN largely remains internet-focused, you could potentially exclude an entire class of Nigerians. So, my apologies if I came off as trying to exclude other age groups….when in fact, one of the goals of LUN is to promote unity through sameness of purpose – which I am proud to say, it has done on many fronts, particularly in regards to ethnicity.

Anyway, the points you bring up about “taking it to the streets” are important ones, and I believe that LUN is in the process of hashing that out.
.-= nneoma´s last blog ..people are different by kind… =-.