Nigerian Diaspora Shows Solidarity In New York
By Arao Ameny
New York, New York (Ugandans Abroad) —The diaspora in New York continue on-going protests in solidarity with Nigerians back home who are holding nationwide demonstrations against the removal of the fuel subsidy and corrupt leadership.
The diaspora are calling for good governance in Nigeria and a stop to corruption; and they are protesting the Jan. 1 removal of the fuel subsidy which has kept the price of gas low for over 20 years.
Demonstrations organized by the Nigerian diaspora to show solidarity with their motherland.
When the removal of the fuel subsidy caused the price of gasoline to double from $1.70 per gallon (45 cents per liter) to the minimum of $3.50 per gallon (94 cents per liter) overnight, consequently the price of transport and food also doubled, causing frustration and anger for Nigerians back home and abroad.
With justifiable anger from citizens inside and outside Nigeria, demonstrations were inevitable.
As country-wide strikes brought out Nigerians of every political, religious, and ethnic affiliation together to protest, the same is mirrored in Diaspora communities in New York, with diverse groups mobilizing together through social media, in solidarity and in support of Nigerians back home.
When photos poured in through social media showing images of dead protestors and police brutality, Diaspora communities were quick to act. They were enraged and quickly began to mobilize and organize using Facebook group Occupy Nigeria New York, hosted by Joe Ugochukwu Ofili, Fisi Sahed and Harrison Nwozo.
Abimbola Ishola, who is host of a radio show at www.cultureshocknigerians.com, who attended the second protest at the Nigerian Consulate on Jan.11, said that it was important to support fellow Nigerians.
“I was born and raised in Miami, Florida and my family is Nigerian so I am a Nigerian. I think it is very important for me to be out here today to be in solidarity with my people back home who are fighting for freedom,” Ishola saidd. “I call it ‘freedom’ because people need to make enough [money] to survive. By increasing the fuel prices, it is hard to survive, especially when the minimum wage is very low in Nigeria.”
Ishola said that she wants Nigerians back home to know that the Diaspora loves them and cares about them. “Just because we are here [in New York] doesn’t mean we don’t want Nigeria to improve. We want things to get better so that one day we can go back,” she said.
At the protest in front of the United Nations, Nigerians from diverse backgrounds—born in Nigeria or born here in the U.S.—came together as one, under the green and white flag, shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow Africans and American friends from the Occupy Wall Street movement. Standing outside of the UN building, they repeated over and over, “Enough is Enough!”
Ibrahim Ahmed, a protestor addressed the crowd, saying, “On behalf of the Nigerians and friends, all over the world including New York, they have been struggling with us and at this point we have made it in front of the United Nations to express ourselves and tell the world what is going on in Nigeria today.”
“The government does not care about the poor people, The government does not care about her citizens…Now Nigerians are suffering of bad leadership. To make a mistake is not a mistake but to repeat a mistake is a mistake. Nigeria, we are not going to make a mistake.” Ahmed said.
One of the women vocal at the U.N. protest was Olutosin Mustapha, founder of the Afro Heritage Magazine. She said that is time for Nigerians to speak up for what is in the best interest of the country and for all Nigerians.
“Today we are rising up in New York City and fighting for our rights. Nigerians don’t have electricity. Nigerians don’t have clean water. Many Nigerians are out of a job. We are here to support Nigerians,” Mustapha said passionately into the bull horn, her voice shaking. The crowd cheered after her words, saying in unison and singing, “Solidarity, Solidarity, forever…”
Edward T. Hall, III, or “Ted Hall” as he is known by fellow protestors and friends, a vocal member and activist from the Occupy Wall Street movement, came out to support Nigerians in the movement now known as “Occupy Nigeria New York.”
A symbol of the Occupy Nigerian movement.
“I remember being a privileged man of white skin going to U.N. [United Nations] meetings as a youth leader and hearing these people talk about the riches of Africa, about what opportunities they were but they have done nothing to empower the people of Africa,” Hall said. “This last year, which I believe is utterly true, we had an Arab Spring, A European summer, an American fall and a Russian winter but this year is the Native year. All of us are colonized, be it by nation or by mentality and this is where we begin our fight. ”
Currently, four Nigerian diaspora protests have occurred—the first and second protest was on Jan. 10 and Jan. 11 in front of the Nigerian Consulate; the third protest, on Jan.14, started at the Nigerian Consulate and ended at the United Nations.
The most recentprotest occurred on Wednesday night Jan. 18, at a town hall meeting where the Viola Onwuliri, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs was present, as well as Hon. Habib bab Habu, Consul General and Ambassador Jerry Sonny Ugokwe, Secretary of the Presidential Committee.
According to the itinerary, the town hall meeting was supposed to take place promptly at 6 p.m. between Professor Viola Onwuliri and representatives of Nigerians in the Tri-State. At the meeting, frustrations and pinned-up anger quickly moved from cybersace to face-to-face when protests ignited as a result of the minister’s late arrival.
When the minister arrived late, Publisher and Editor of Sahara Reporters, Mr. Sowore Omoyele, went to the microphone, to assert his displeasure, saying that the Nigerian people should be respected. Soon after, a full-out protest, with repetitive chants calling for solidarity grew louder and louder until protestors were escorted out by the New York Police Department.
Nigerians in the diaspora are inundated daily with dismal pictures streaming in via Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites, showing pictures of dead and injured protestors, photos that are captured by ordinary citizens armed with a camera or mobile phone, to letting fellow Nigerians and the rest of world know what is happening in Nigeria.
The Diaspora community says they are angry about what is going on in their homeland and will stand up for their motherland.
Nigerians in New York, especially the youth, using social media as a tool of protest, continue to mobilize and have discussions in cyberspace, with a surge of Facebook groups called “Occupy Nigeria” increasing daily and constant updates with the hashtag #occupynigeria, #fuelsubsidy or #nigeria with updates every few seconds. These discussions in cyberspace serve as a rally call and give momentum to protests and rallies in the Diaspora.
Discussion from Nigerians in New York and abroad, between intellectuals, youth and ordinary citizens, are also taking place in Yahoo groups about topics such as fuel subsidy and corruption in government. Yahoo Groups like NigerianWorldForum and Nigeria
In the Nigerian Diaspora in New York, the displeasure of governments is visible on two fronts—in cyberspace and face-to-face— as a protestor who did not want to be identified, who regularly posts messages on Facebook and Twitter could be seen holding a poster board at the United Nations rally which clearly displayed in bold black ink, a sign which says, “Nigeria, this is only the beginning.” as he sang “soli-, soli-solidarity…forever.”
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