By Socialist Workers League
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Socialist Workers League members at one of the protest
marches during the January 2012 Uprising
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Never before in the history of Nigeria
have the working masses arisen to fight with one resolve against exploitation
and oppression as we did for two weeks last January. The spark of the revolt
was the hike in the pump price of petrol from N65 to N141 on New Year’s Day.
Within 24 hours spontaneous demonstrations had begun to spread across the land.
The 8-day General Strike which started on January 9 generalised the uprising,
grounding the nation’s economy to a halt.
We won a partial victory, with the
price of petrol being placed at N97 by the Federal Government. However,
millions of Nigerians felt let down. This was not just because full reversal
was not won. At the heart of the uprising was the pent up anger against rising
cost of living, worsening inequality, social injustice, homelessness for many,
skyrocketing unemployment rates, etc. In short, we of the classes of the
oppressed who are poor because of the economic, social and political power of
the few elite (bosses and politicians) wanted to emancipate ourselves!
In the past one year, we have seen the
elite continue with their self-enrichment, using corruption, amongst other
means. We are made to believe that the problem is corruption in the oil sector
and in the economy/political arena. But this is only partly true. Corruption is
indeed a problem. But the problem is the capitalist system which makes
the rich richer and the poor poorer. Indeed, the fact of the matter is that we
cannot wipe out corruption without overthrowing capitalism. This is a general
truth, but is particularly so in former colonies like Nigeria where the elite
have little base in manufacturing and the government is their main cash cow.
It is important for us to draw the
correct lessons from the January Uprising and its aftermath. First, the power
to change society lies in the hands of we, the masses. If we mobilise and fight
back, reclaiming the streets in our millions WE CAN WIN. Second, the working
class is the most decisive force of we, the poor, as a whole. This is due to
its strategic place in the economy. Workers create the wealth that the bosses
appropriate.
Organised labour is also the only
social group of the masses that unifies millions of workers across all the
boundaries of state, ethnicity, religion, etc. Third, revolutionary situations
are not “convened” by any group of activists (even though in a comic
manner, several “coalitions” have been rushing over themselves to claim credit
for “starting” the uprising). Some issue or the other tends to ignite such
situations and we enter the masses spontaneously. But, the extent to
which we can be victorious depends on the level of our organisation before and
during such historic situations.
We have had cause to struggle after our
uprising for the minimum wage in several states, against increase in
electricity tariff, against school fee hikes etc. There are many more struggles
ahead. We have won partial victories in these. This is welcome, but not enough.
We have to liberate ourselves through a revolutionary overthrow of the
capitalist system. We must tie the reforms we win to this ultimate goal. To do
this, we must continue to build our forces. A crucial way to do this is by
being active in a revolutionary socialist group, as well as in our trade
unions, students unions, community associations, etc.
Together, we educate ourselves on where
we are, why we are there and what is to be done. And on the basis of this, we
stand as the clearest and most determined fighters in the ranks of the working
masses as a whole in the historic confrontation of the immense majority, the
working masses, against the handful of bosses and politicians that have made
our lives a hell across the world. Socialist Workers League thus invites
you to join us in this notable cause which we share.
HANDS OFF
FEMI ABORISADE!
Comrade Femi Aborisade, a Senior
Lecturer at The Polytechnic Ibadan, who is a leading member of the Socialist
Workers League has been attacked twice within a month in recent times, in his
house within the institution. During the first attack he was matcheted by the
assailants. This is a worrisome demonstration of the rising insecurity in the
land.
The Academic Staff Union of
Polytechnics branch in the school has taken up the matter with the seriousness
it deserves. At its emergency Congress on January 8 on the matter, it issued “an
ultimatum of two weeks…within which the remote and immediate causes of the
threats are investigated, specifically the latest attacks on Com. Aborisade,
failure which the Union will take…necessary action”
SWL commends this bold step by ASUP and
calls on all trade unions, as well as pro-working people organisations and
coalitions to also demand that our oppressors and the attackers they have sent
must HANDS OFF FEMI ABORISADE NOW!
For
more information about SWL, visit http://socialistbulletin.wordpress.com/about/
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