Former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, has advised the Nigerian government on preventing protests similar to those currently occurring in Kenya.
Omokri’s comments come in the wake of a controversial finance bill in Kenya that has sparked nationwide, youth-led protests.
In a post on X, Omokri highlighted how President Tinubu’s decisive action against the proposed Cybersecurity Levy in Nigeria could serve as a model.
“When the Cybersecurity Levy was to be implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria, there was no street protest. Just social media trends against it. And President Tinubu overruled the CBN and ordered the suspension of the levy. No matter what you think about Tinubu, at least you must admit that by that act, he demonstrated control over his government and signalled that he feels the pulse of the public in a way that President Ruto of Kenya does not.”
Omokri emphasized the importance of proactive leadership, urging African leaders to address issues before they escalate. “What happened in Kenya could have been prevented. Since it was not prevented, it should not be allowed to reoccur unnecessarily. African leaders should now learn a lesson from it. Do not allow things to spiral out of control before you act.”
He advised President Tinubu to remain directly connected to public sentiment by engaging personally with various media platforms. “Please do not allow your aides to cage you and give you only news that they have carefully curated and sanitized. Be on social media yourself to keep tabs on what influencers are saying. Watch the morning TV shows personally, especially the ones notorious for being against you and your government. Read the papers and popular columnists firsthand. Listen to grassroots radio stations. In short, don’t isolate yourself from your people.”
Omokri drew comparisons with former President Buhari, attributing the #EndSARS protests to Buhari’s detached leadership style. “Buhari’s failure to be hands-on is why we had #EndSARS. EndSARS did not start on the streets. It started on social media, with influencers, like Segun Awosanya