THE Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM) is set to hold a public symposium to commemorate the 10th anniversary of “Occupy Nigeria” movement on Saturday, February 19, 2022; Comrade Salako Kayode, RSM’s Publicity Secretary said in a statement made available to National Record.
Lined up to address the symposium holding virtually are a host of activists from trade union and social movement, left and radical political parties in Nigeria. They include Omoyele Sowore, National Chair of African Action Congress (AAC), Abbey Trotsky, National Chair of Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), Owie Lakemfa, former Secretary General of Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) and General Secretary of NLC; Jaiye Gaskia of TPAP-M Secretariat, Martin Adekunle, General Secretary, Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) and Dimeji Macaulay of RSM.
The symposium is holding under the theme “10 years from “Occupy Nigeria” – when the masses “stormed heaven”: Lessons for today.”
The statement further reads: “As we all know, ten years ago a mighty movement shook Nigeria. When the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) removed the fuel subsidy and increased the price of Premium Motor Spirit-PMS, a huge movement broke out after the call of the trade union centres for indefinite general strike and mass protests.
“The strike was very successful, communities engaged in self-security and voluntary pickets to enforce the strike peacefully. Both the formal and informal economy were shut down, from airports to seaports, from roads to railways. Each and every one of the eight days of general strike witnessed mass rallies and community protests. There was a high level of discipline, class consciousness and solidarity throughout these 8 days.
“The same issues are posed today. Despite the rising oil prices and the massive profits accrued from this, this is concentrated in the hands of a tiny minority, the ruling class, while the mass of the population is living in poverty.
“As we write there are queues at different filling station across Nigeria. This is after the federal government announced that the regime will not remove subsidy.
“The regime has attempted to increase fuel pump price by removing the subsidy, but last month it was forced to retreat. This however is only temporary. They are going to come back on this, when they feel that conditions make it easier for them to impose their plans. They say that they will increase the fuel pump price in order to use the subsidy to support transportation of ordinary Nigerians, but this is just another one of their hypocritical lies. The fact is they don’t care about the poor.”
