This idea all over my TL that the violence at the protests is sponsored by the govt is just depressing. Even in the U.K. with the mildest police, violence broke out to say nothing of Chicago or New York. Come on guys

The key ingredient is able bodied young men with nothing but time on their hands. And no country in the world has more of that constituency than Nigeria. Govt or no govt instigation, you should be surprised if protests *don’t* degenerate in this way.

I hope this incredible opportunity to drive real change is not now lost. Protests are a powerful tool in a democracy but they’re one of many tools to drive change. They should lead to a ferment of ideas for reform that lead to real change

I have to say I’m not really seeing this. But this is just my personal opinion and nothing against those who are having to think in the heat of the moment. Sometimes the govt’s problem is simply an inability to think outside an ossified box

Simply handing them a laundry list of demands to go and implement will only give you so much.

As I said before, the tone of the govt’s response to the protests has been ok. The problem has been the substance. That’s the opportunity