# Occupy your time better!

Last week gaily dressed protesters with flags, full-colour banners, and emblazoned t-shirts “occupied” the National Assembly (NASS) under the aegis of a group called “#Occupy the National Assembly”. They prevented staff, lawmakers and visitors from entering or leaving through the main gate. The group’s demands included that Senators return the new Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) […]

Last week gaily dressed protesters with flags, full-colour banners, and emblazoned t-shirts “occupied” the National Assembly (NASS) under the aegis of a group called “#Occupy the National Assembly”. They prevented staff, lawmakers and visitors from entering or leaving through the main gate. The group’s demands included that Senators return the new Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) recently distributed to them; an end to politicking with the budget; scrapping constituency projects; and publication of the details of the N150 Billion Naira NASS budget. Although denying that they were anti-Senate President Bukola Saraki, the protesters demanded his immediate resignation maintaining that all they craved was a transparent and people oriented NASS. Their core complaints were “financial recklessness” in the NASS and the “unethical actions of Senators” in support of Saraki’s attempts to undermine constituted law against corrupt politicians.
Ordinarily Civil Societies comprise organized groups of individuals not motivated by profit who act voluntarily and independent of the government to uplift society. They are one of the prime catalysts for promoting the democratisation process in developing nations. They generally play either a monitoring role where they produce reports to facilitate accountability, or a capacity building role where they train or sensitize citizens on protection of their rights to foster good governance. Between 1985 and 1999 Civil Societies in Nigeria concentrated on the campaign to end military regimes and restore democracy. Upon disengagement of the military in 1999, their role changed to one of deepening democracy. Unfortunately they have yet to change their modus operandi to cope with this new role. Still relying on militancy rather than pro-active campaigning, they continue to experience difficulty in interacting positively with democratically elected governments.
There is no reason to assume the motives of the “#Occupy the National Assembly” organizers are as altruistic as those of others such as the “#Bring Back Our Girls” campaigners. Civil society groups should not automatically be viewed sympathetically as the past ignoble roles of societies such as Youths Earnestly Ask for Abacha (YEAA), and the Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) are still fresh in the mind. It’s vital that the funding and real objectives of civil societies are made public. The protests were undoubtedly sponsored. Protesters who arrived with mobile toilets, cooking utensils and canopies claimed they were being funded and fed by “the Nigerian people”.
Reports have it that organizers received approximately N400,000 daily and “protesters” were paid N4,000 daily. It’s difficult to believe that gainfully employed people left their places of work to join in. It was more a question of unemployed people being organized by those employed to arrange protests. Ironically despite their vehement demands for probity, openness and open accountability in the NASS, the “#Occupy the National Assembly” organizers refused requests for details of their own financial records. Their stated plan is to disperse after an initial three days, regroup, and return to paralyse all activities in the NASS until their demands are met.
Intriguingly even before the occupation, Senate President Saraki had alerted both the public and police that plans were afoot to create public disorder through sponsored protests. Senate Leader Senator Mohammed Ali-Ndume chipped in saying no amount of protest can ever force any legislator to resign. It was an unnecessary and insensitive statement. Agreed that the actions of the protesters were irresponsible, but the fact remains that citizens have a right to protest, and furthermore political leaders are supposed to take public protests into consideration. What is truly ironic about the “#Occupy the National Assembly” campaign is that the one thing Nigerians unanimously agree upon about our legislators is their indolence. They do little real work and hardly ever attend the House, cost us a fortune, and barely contribute to our development. Indeed they should be locked into the NASS not locked out!
The convener of the protest Bunmi Awoyemi quite ludicrously claimed that their actions were a success because it was the first time in history that ordinary Nigerians were able to shut down the National assembly. According to him they succeeded in “sending a strong message that Nigerians will no longer be taken for a ride”. What they actually succeeded in doing was showing that brashness, inconsideration for others, aggressiveness and lack of deep contemplation isn’t restricted to our political office holders. Mr Awoyemi believes his political brinkmanship which threatened a breakdown of law and order if not for the restraint shown by the security agencies, was a “resounding success” aimed at achieving fundamental reforms.
Evidently he and his co-travellers need to familiarize themselves with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The processes for carrying out fundamental reforms don’t include holding people to ransom or creating public disorder. In view of the renowned apathy of Nigerian legislators towards public opinion, it’s difficult to fathom what the protesters realistically intended to achieve, other than spend the monies they received.  Quite frankly if they truly want change, rather than occupy NASS they should occupy their time better.