Reno Omokri Advises Nigerians Against Replicating Nepal’s Revolution, Cites ENDSARS And Days Of Rage Aftermath

 

Reno Omokri, author and socio-political commentator, has called on Nigerians to resist attempts by agitators to lure them into replicating the ongoing revolution in Nepal, warning that such moves would plunge the country into avoidable chaos. In a strongly worded message shared on social media, Omokri recalled the painful aftermath of past protests in Nigeria, particularly the 2020 ENDSARS demonstrations, and argued that the cost of violent uprisings far outweighed the benefits they promised.

He reminded Nigerians that Lagos State, often regarded as the nation’s commercial nerve centre, bore the heaviest brunt of the ENDSARS protests. The demonstrations, which initially began as peaceful agitation against police brutality, spiraled into destruction on a massive scale. Omokri pointed out that Lagos lost its state-of-the-art forensic laboratory, a facility ranked as the best in Africa, after it was burnt to the ground by rioters. That single loss, he explained, forced MohBad’s autopsy to be conducted in the United States rather than locally, an outcome that made Nigeria appear incapable of handling its own forensic responsibilities.

According to figures cited by Omokri, the destruction in Lagos also claimed 80 Bus Rapid Transit vehicles, numerous courthouses, police stations, and other critical infrastructure. The Organised Private Sector later estimated that the financial losses amounted to 305 million dollars. For him, the most ironic part of the situation was that many of those who led the protests were not Lagosians, nor were they individuals paying taxes in the state. Instead, they hailed from states with far deeper governance crises but chose to destabilise Lagos, damaging a system that was performing relatively better than their home states.

Omokri extended his argument to cover the more recent “Days of Rage” protest in Northern Nigeria, which he said inflicted damage valued at 200 billion naira. That unrest, he added, nearly destabilised the nation entirely, as agitators were seen parading Russian flags in an attempt to stir sentiments similar to those that triggered regime changes in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. He argued that these protests, far from delivering meaningful change, risked opening the door to foreign interference and national disintegration.

While warning Nigerians not to be deceived into supporting similar agitations inspired by Nepal’s revolution, Omokri insisted that Nigeria was not only more politically stable than Nepal but also more economically progressive. He highlighted the country’s unique record of peaceful coexistence among its past and present leaders as evidence of stability, stressing that five former Heads of State and Presidents currently live in Nigeria and continue to collaborate with the sitting government through the Council of State. The list includes General Yakubu Gowon, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, General Ibrahim Babangida, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, and former President Goodluck Jonathan. Before the death of Muhammadu Buhari, the number stood at six.

He further pointed to Nigeria’s growing economy as another reason to avoid destabilisation. Using available data, Omokri explained that the nation’s Gross Domestic Product had expanded significantly in the last two years, rising from 269.29 trillion naira in May 2023, when President Bola Tinubu assumed office, to 372.8 trillion naira today. This increase of 67 billion dollars, he argued, reflected an economy that, despite challenges, was moving forward rather than backward.

Omokri acknowledged that not all Nigerians were satisfied with the current state of governance but maintained that violence and destruction were not solutions. Instead, he urged those disillusioned with leadership to redirect their frustrations towards their states of origin, rather than destabilising regions like Lagos or other functioning centres of progress. He concluded with a clear message that while protest is a legitimate tool in any democracy, revolutions that destroy lives and property only succeed in weakening the very people they are meant to liberate.

By cautioning Nigerians against copying Nepal’s upheaval, Omokri sought to highlight the importance of learning from history. His message served as both a warning and a call for reflection, reminding citizens that Nigeria’s fragile progress could easily be undone if destructive agitation is allowed to overshadow peaceful dialogue and constructive engagement.