The word Wazobia in Nigeria’s parlance means “come”. It is a combination of the word come from three languages of Yoruba, Hausa and Ibo. Patrick Doyle, a famous Nigerian broadcaster and TV personality was said to be the brain behind the origin of the word Wazobia. The morpheme Wa means come in Yoruba, Zo means come in Hausa, while bia, means come in Ibo. The essence of joining these three ethnic words to form one word is to promote the unity of Nigeria. While the phrase enjoys linguistic and poetic appeals, in reality, the dream behind the mantra is yet to be attained. Unity is still an illusion among the people of Nigeria. Paradoxically, albeit unfortunately, there are two instances in which the unity envisaged by the Wazobia mantra is effectively realised; the Wazobia (Unity) of the Ruling/looting Elites and the Wazobia (Unity) of the Hungry masses.
The Wazobia (unity) of the ruling elites is knitted by common interest; to rule and to loot. They are not separated by the divisive waters of tribe, religion and ethnicity. They are fraternally bound by the blood oath to divide and rule the gullible masses along religious and tribal lines. To the ruling and looting elites, blood is truly thicker than water. On the other hand, the Wazobia (unity) of the hungry masses are in their poverty. The common denominator of the Wazobia of the hungry masses is their lot of poverty in the land of abundance. For this reason, poverty related issues like hunger, squalor and diseases are the pillars that sustain their identities.
Ironically, the hungry masses are the foot soldiers of the ruling and the looting elites. They are ever ready to kill and become ‘martyrs’ for the ruling and the looting Wazobians provided they are from the same religion, tribe or ethnic background. The hungry Wazobians may be united by hunger protest, but it will soon be to your tent o Israel! Once the 2027 election is around the corner, the same hunger protesters will be divided along tribal and religious line especially, when it comes to who is going to be the President of Nigeria. Thus, the saying that poverty is not just about lack of money, but lack of unity, is true in the context of Nigeria.
It is factual that in Nigeria, when it comes to protest, the Wazobia mantra appears to get sensational relevance and after that nothing more. In protest, sometimes the ruling and looting elites who might have been on leave of absence from the corridors of powers, will sympathise with the hungry masses and feign to eat their local delicacies in spirit of solidarity. They can join them in protest. They can organise long walks to freedom with them. They do that not because they really have the masses at heart but for political envy and to get access to power. However, when they have access to political power, the masses become mere statics for analysis. The protest against President Jonathan Goodluck in 2012 when he increased fuel price is, a testament to this history.
The recent hunger protest by Nigerians prompted many questions in the mind of critical thinkers. One of such questions is; are Nigerians really united in protesting against President Tinubu? If the answer is either in the negative or the positive, how should one be convinced that the Wazobians are really united as far as this protest is concerned? To address this issue let us examine the attitude of the three major tribes in Nigeria towards protests from the prism of the Wazobia Republic.
The Wa Republic and The Recent Hunger Protest.
The Wa Republic, been mostly the Yorubas, are known to be revolutionary and radical in its approaches to national issues. They are the most politically sophisticated citizens of the Wazobia Republic because of their intellectual and revolutionary prowess (Meredith Martins; 2013 and Max Souillon 2009). Perhaps, that explain why they are objective and dispassionate about national issues till date. To them water can be thicker than blood, if the blood is contaminated. They don’t have a sparing rod for a misbehaving child. They can’t shut their mouth if ‘their own’ is not doing well. It is from this martinet and detached root that President Tinubu was born. That was why the moment Ahmed Bola Tinubu wanted to contest for President; most of those opposing him were the people of the Wa Republic. His political son, Prof Yemi Osibanjo had to contest with him for presidential primaries. His fellow kinsmen like Dele Momodu, President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bode George and others were against him. Again, when Tinubu wanted to contest for President of Nigeria, the Afenifere did not endorse him. The former leader of the Afenifere declared support for Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, an Ibo man. The Afenifere said they prefer to support Peter Obi because of fairness and federal character. If readers think that this is the first time the Afenifere are whipping their own, he should inquire further from Olusegun Obasanjo. When Olusegun Obasanjo in 2006, wanted pushing for third term, with the supports of the other Wazobians, the people of the Wa Republic (via the Afenifere) descended heavily on Obasanjo and his cohorts.
Perhaps, when Tinubu came to power, one would have expected that the people of Wa Republic may calm down but the reverse is the case. When he went for Christmas celeberation in Lagos in 2023, instead of singing Emi Lokan, (as it was done during campaign) they reminded of Ebi la kan. After several months when the Ebi Lakan (loosely translated to mean there is hunger) slogan could not be addressed, the masses kept yearning and yawning. The royal father of the Wa Republic, the Oni of Ife was vociferous reminding the President that people are hungry. Sowore started mobilizing abroad for 10-Day Hunger protests. Prominent Lawyers like Femi Falana, Ebun-Adegborunwa, Olukoya Ogungbenje, Deji Adeyanju; all of Yoruba extractions galvanized masses to go on hunger strike against Tinubu. .
While Tinubu may be thinking ‘I’m their own’, expecting sympathy from his people. The Wa Republicans, may say, ‘yes you are still our own, but as of now, you are a public property’. In reality, the Yorubas did not spare Tinubu. While, some states in his regions were wooed not to protest, states like Lagos and Ogun were unstoppable. They protested against Tinubu. Even after naming street after the renowned Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, Soyinka still lambasted Tinubus’s recent speech as unconnected with the predicament of the hungry protesters.
In Wa Republic, there is no honour for any hunter who went for hunting and returned without a game. The pride of a hunter is gauged by the number of the game he brought home. To them the fact that Tinubu is a President from their side does not make him immune from facing the backlash of his poor policies. The Royal father, the Oni of Ife was at the forefront of the backlash against Tinibu exemplifying the African proverbs that a good father does not hide the crime of his son.
Even where some members of the Wa Republic wanted to dissuade the youths from protesting, it was not successful. The President of Yoruba Nation Youths said, “hardship and hunger know no tribe”. Even while some members of the Wa Republic kept paddling ethnic sentiments to dissuade, the Wa Republicans, the protest continued. .
In this entire saga, one peculiar feature of the Wa Republic is the fact that there is no hiding place for the political sins of Tinibu. His people are so realistic and factual that tribalism alone is not enough to dull away the reality of hunger and hardship disturbing Nigerians under his leadership. They did not ask for ‘prayers’ for Tinubu. Thus, humanity ravaged by hunger must be united against the common source of their problem. That’s why the prominent names in the call for hunger are mostly the descendants of the Wa Republic.
It is of further relevance to note that the Wa Republic have the most positive statics and indices in Nigeria. Educationally, economically, commercially and socially they are the most progressive and advanced region in Nigeria. An inquisitive mind that dares to impeach this view is enjoined to embark on empirical research to do so. Yet, in all this, they dare to tell ‘their own’, that all is not well under you. They deserve the ‘Laurel of Objectivity’ for dispassionate criticism of Tinibu’s bad economic policies. But will the story be different in other parts of the Wazobia Republic? We can’t answer this for now until we learn about the ‘Zo’ and ‘Bia’ Republics.
The ‘Zo’ Republic and the Politics of Protests
The Zo Republic is the most politically conscious of the 3 Republics within the Wazobia confederation. They are so politically conscious to the extent that other facets of life such as the economy and social life were given less considerations. Politics to the people of ‘Zo Republic’ is akin to what a science is to South Koreans. Incidentally, history favours them. In the 63 years of Nigerian independence, out of the 13 Presidents of Nigeria, 10 of them were from the ‘Zo Republic.’ Yet in all this, the Zo Republic remains the region with unfriendly statics in Nigeria. Poverty, illiteracy, insecurity, and lawlessness have found a friendly habitation in the Zo Republic.
If Harold Laski were to be alive, he would have seen the limitation of his theory in the Zo Republic to the effect that despite having ruled the nation over the years, it still remains the most backward. In the Zo Republic, despite having political powers over the years, there is small evidence of value allocation to its citizens and regions as envisage by Harold Laski. Thus, in the case of the Zo Republic, the theory that access to political power equates proportional developments in science, economy, industrialization, and human capital is not realistic. However, in the case of the Zo Republic, it is an instance of paradox of leadership. Despite ruling the country with 10 of the 14 Presidents, Zo Republic remains the most impoverished of the Wazobia Republic. Of peculiar concern is the fact that the offices relating to the security of the nation have been headed by about 70% of people from the Zo Republic since independence till date, yet insecurity appears to enjoy permanent residence there.
The recent reactions of the Zo Republicans against Tinubu’s hostile economic reforms, has ignited some moments of flashback in the political history of Nigeria. The flashback scenario can best be appreciated by comparing the reactions of the Zo Republicans during the reign of ‘their own’ President Buhari and that of President Ahmed Tinubu. Under Muhammad Buhari, the fuel price that Jonathan increased from N90 to N120 was increased up to N400. The parts of the country that protested were the ‘Wa’ and the ‘Bia’ Republics. The Zo Republic was indifferent, and like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, most of the Zo Republicans (especially those in power) pointed accusing finger at President Goodluck.
Under Buhari, the Zo Republicans were killed without distinction on the ground of ethnicity and religion, yet there was no protest in some states because Buhari is ‘their own’. He needs some times (even in his second tenure).When the Nigerian Labour Congress called for industrial action some states in the Zo Republic did not comply. The states in the Wa and Bia Republics that complied with the nationwide strikes were deemed as hostile towards the regime of President Buhari. Some religious centers in Zo Republic declared it an anathema to protest and criticized Buhari. Any protest against Buhari will be countered by the army of hired thugs from the Zo Republic.
When police brutality led to the killings of Nigerians, the #ENDSARS became a wild fire in Nigeria. The youths from the Wa and Bia Republics protested but their counterparts in Zo Republic were sermonized to leave everything to God and pray for Buhari to succeed. The youths in the ‘Zo Republic’ did not only stop at abstaining from the #ENDSARS protests, but they formed an anti-protest corps against #ENDSARS protesters in some cities like Jos and Abuja.
In ‘Zo Republic’, even some learned minds appear not to honour any protest in solidarity with the rule of law. When Justice Onnoghen (CJN) was unjustly removed via an Ex Parte Order, the Nigerian Bar Association called for lawyers to abstain from court sessions across the country. There was high compliance in solidarity with Justice Onnoghen (CJN) in the Wa and the Bia Republics than in the Zo Republic. In the Zo Republic, judges and lawyers had court sessions. Thus, in the Zo Republic, even some learned ones are not immune from the demagogue of anti-protest during Buhari’s regime. However, prominent Zo Republicans like Shehu Sani, Archbishop Hassan Kuka, Buba Galadima, Aisha Yusuf, Obadiah Mailafiya, HRH Sanusi Lamido and others, who appeared to understood the tides and drew the attention of the Zo Republicans to the reality of modern democracy. However, these people were tagged as betrayers and persecuted politically and psychologically.
The norm of conspiracy of silence on protest during Buhari’s reign by the people of the Zo Republic has developed a lot of caged anger and unexpressed grief in them. They cried in silence without expressing their tears. Instead of shedding tears out of their eyes, the tears returned o their grieving hearts. Their hearts become a melting pot where tears mixed unexpressed anger. Thus, psychologically they are anger-proned at every slightest provocation. Yet, they were told that Buhari is not the right person to vent their venom on. But who would be the recipient of that long-nurtured and cultured venom of hatred in the hearts of the impoverished citizens of the Zo Republic? All the Zo Republicans are waiting for is the time to vent their frustration. There are also waiting for their, Emi Lokan. Fortunately, Tinibu became the President. His first move of hitting the ground running was not a blow on the physical ground, but it was like a Mike Tyson’s punch on the faces of the impoverished and bottle-filled angered masses of the Zo Republic. The patient quotient they exercised towards Buhari has expired during Tinubu’s tenure. Thus, the Zo Republicans become protesters in 2024.
When one notices the recent involvement of the Zo Republicans in the hunger protest, the natural question would be “have the Zo Republicans also become protesters?” The Answer is yes, the Zo Republicans have now become protesters because the political party that has promised them paradise from the hellish days of Goodluck Jonathan is still keeping them longer in the purgatory. Yes, the Zo Republicans have joined the protest because ‘their own’ is not in power. Yes, the Zo Republicans are now protesters because the opium of religion that told them to pray for the President has finished with Buhari’s tenure. Yes, the Zo Republicans are now protesters because while under Buhari pacifism is the theology in the religious centers, under Tinubu it has become an era of liberation theology. Yes, the Zo Republicans have joined protest because the political merchants who used to patronize and mobilize them to go out for counter-protest are out of political relevance under Tinubu. The Zo Republicans are now protesters because Senate President Akpabio is ‘eating’ while they are hungry, unlike Senate President Lawan who used to remember them?
If hunger is really the reason why the Zo Republicans are now protesters any scholar of Nigerian politics will struggle to accept this view without crises of conscience. This is because throughout the 8 years of the Buhari’s presidency, was there no hunger in the Zo Republic? Were the Zo Republicans on fasting against protest during Buhari, and waiting for Tinubus’s tenure to break the fast? These questions check the sincerity and expose the hypocrisy on part of the North who has now resolved in joining other people to protest against Tinubu. Since they had enjoyed the conspiracy of silence during Buhari’s regime, in the spirit of fairness, they lack the moral qualification to protest against Tinubu.
The Bia Republic And The Politics Of Protest
The Bia Republic is the most assertive bloc of the Wazobia Republic. They have a very long historical romance with protest. Their amazons led the famous Aba women Riot of 1929. This bloc is a civilization that is birthed in protest and even its existences as a component of Wazobia Federation, is not devoid of protest. The Bia Republic has since been living in protest from the moment it lost its initial identity as Biafra in its struggle for self-determination. Ever since the Bia Republic has involved in series of revolutionary protests and struggles such Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The Bia Republic are the most politically marginalised set of people within the Wazobia Federation. Their marginalisation started after the civil war in 1970 till date. Out of the 14 Presidents of Nigeria, they only produced one. Yet the Bia Republicans are geniuses in literature, sports, businesses, sciences and technology among other things. Despite their contributions to Nigeria at the national and international levels, these people are yet to experience political equality in Nigerian political space. Commercially they have the knack of the Jews, technologically there are like the Japanese and when it comes to navigating difficult situation for survival, there are the Ibos.
There are three types of protesters among the Bia Republicans. The first is the nationalized Bia Republicans in foreign lands. The second is the Bia Republicans who stay in Nigeria and continue to struggle till the Bia Republic emerged as an independent nation. The third class are those who accept the statusquo and are hopeful that Bia Republic remains indivisible part of larger Wazobia Family. The first protesters belong to mostly people who left Nigeria after the Civil War and resolved to have nothing to do with Nigeria. They have changed their nationality. To them Nigeria is a monument in their history.
The second class refers those that are active in the politics of protest in Nigeria. They include those that initiated an economically devastated method of non-violent protest known as sit-at-home. They have been doing that every week from the days of Buhari till now. They also observed Biafra Day as a day to protest against injustices meted on them by the Wazobia Federation. During Buhari’s regime, the Bia Republic was virtually active in most of the protests including the ENDSARS Movement and other related protests. Even when it leads to volatile outcome they will still protest thereafter. They are so zealous about protest to the extent that it is difficult for security forces to dictate which one is protest and which acts is rebellion against the State.
The third class refers to those that believe in one Nigeria. This class of the Bia Republican are more loyal to the Wazobia federation than the other two. As such they enjoy the favours of the Wazobia Federation. They are less concerned by historical antecedents of the struggle of the Bia Republic; they are more concern about national and community developments of their region. Human capital development and the quest for prosperity is their preoccupation. Thus, they excel in politics, sports, entertainment and other facets of life. Some of them are active in civil protest while some are less concern. To this category of people, they could only watch hunger protest under Tinubu on Television while sipping coffee and munching some snacks.
Whenever there was a protest under Buhari, the Wa and Bia Republicans are the only active people. The Zo Republic will keep off and prefer to galvanized anti-protest thugs. Ironically, the Bia Republic, under President Tinubu did not protest. Their reason is that there are not hungry. And sarcastically, remarked that Tinibu is doing well. This could be a sort of sarcasm to mock the Zo Republicans who once thought that no one could protest against their own. So Bia Republicans are now saying it is a payback time. In their placards, they came out to support Tinubu with words like, “Tinubu is doing well”, “There is no hunger in Nigeria”, and “the Ibos are not Hungry”.
Conclusion
It is factual that from this hunger protest, President Tinubu needs to be dynamic in addressing the economic plights of Nigerians. While the political leaders used to be united against the masses, it is evident from the saga of this hunger protest that politicians are no longer in Wazobia fraternity with Tinubu. When you here protesters shouting and inviting ‘military to take takeover’, it is obvious that recent development is beyond mere hunger protest. Thus, as Tinubu strive to address the economic plight of this nation, Nigerians should bear with him and be hopeful about the better days for the country. Politically, government should address the concerns of those detained and those that are killed extra-judicially during the protest. The voice calling for military takeover should also be interrogated, for Nigerian democracy has gone far to be distracted by military intervention. The frequency of use of Russian Flag in certain part of the country should be discreetly investigated. Also in moments like this, sovereign national conference is necessary to determine the future of Nigeria. Restructuring is sine qua non for the survival of a vibrant united Nigeria. Nigeria is still a global power that humanity is awaiting its manifestation in the comity of nations. May President Tinubu be the one to lay foundation for a prosperous Nigeria.
