Ask for Something More Meaningful than a Reversion to 65N

As I watch the Labour leaders dialogue with the Federal Government as arranged by the National Assembly, I am saddened. The NLC leaders main and only demand for the calling off of this strike is that the pump price of petrol be returned to 65N. What a waste of a movement.The masses are angered, they have stood up and the only thing you demand is 65N petrol. Was Nigeria that great when petrol was 65N? Was there light? Was there infrastructure? Wasn't there still a political elite that was robbing us blind. This is the time to make real and lasting demands because no matter what we protest today, as long as we don't have working refineries in Nigeria, the price of petrol is going to go up in Nigeria, whether under Jonathan or under his successor or the President after that.

Why doesn't Labour ask that National Assembly expenses be cut by 50% before dialogue will take place? How can Abdulwahed Omar, President of the NLC ask such? He's too busy praising the National Assembly. In his own words, he's 'impressed by the intervention of the National Assembly.' The intervention of a dubious group of people. Why doesn't he ask that the prosecution of the so called 'cabal' members should start before dialogue begins to take place? Why doesn't he ask that the President stop eating for 1 Billion Naira in a year? He also said on Channels, 'we are also going to continue a meeting at a different venue with them and some expanded meeting at 5.' Perhaps the deals behind closed doors have begun.

I'm very sad. A protest of the people has been hijacked by the NLC and no real gains for the people will be made. Someone else needs to grab the mic and start making some real demands before a golden opportunity is lost. If petrol doesn't return to 65N but some of the above demands are met, I think Nigeria will be better off. Even if the demands I've listed are useless, brighter people than myself should come up with better suggestions. Just add something other than this dogmatic repetition of '65 Naira or nothing!" At 65 Naira we basically had nothing. Should petrol return to its former price tomorrow, the movement will dissipate. People will go back to living under a corrupt elite. Nothing, nothing, nothing has changed.

I don tire for Occupy Nigeria.