My name is Yomi Adegboye, popularly known as “Mister Mobility”. I am proudly Nigerian.

I am a graduate of Architecture and design from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. I also am BrainBench certified in Web Development Concepts. I run the top technology blog in Nigeria and West Africa. I speak at conferences and seminars, including international ones. I have done work for some of the top brands in the world.

I get up in the morning and head for work everyday with delight and excitement. What I do excites me. It provides help for hundreds of thousands of people. It puts food on my table. It showcases Nigeria to the world as a country with hope. It inspires young people around me to get up and be creative and hardworking too. As far as I am concerned, it is the best job in the world.

Any successes that I have achieved, however, have been inspite of the Nigerian state. My government does not do anything for me. I provide my own power, provide my own piped water, and provide my own security, amongst others.

I bear it all and make things happen inspite of these all.

Yet, our government allocates millions of naira in salaries and allowances to themselves. They fly around the world from public funds. Because of both their corruption and ineptitude, our petroleum refineries do not work, so they have to import fuel. Note that Nigeria is one of the world’s top oil producers.

Because of their greed and incompetence, I run power generators both at home and at the office almost in an unbroken chain.

The Straw That Broke The Camel’s Back

On the 1st of January this year 2012, our government pulled a fast one on us. In the name of fuel subsidy removal, cost of petrol has gone up from N65/litre to over N140/litre. This in a country where the average citizen earns less than a dollar a day. And this in a country where millions of dollars are budgeted for the president’s feeding, gardens and pleasure. Add to that his retinue of ministers, special advisers and hangers-on, and you can easilly see why I am angry.

I would have no problem with removal of fuel subsidy if:

1. government was already fulfilling their responsibility to me, providing public power, security, roads, healthcare and water
2. I was sure that the proceeds from this removal would not end up like all the other proceeds of similar actions in the past – in the pockets of the scoundrels who run this country
3. the people were thought of and measures were implemented to cushion the effects of the spirals in cost of living as a result of this removal
4. significant cuts are made in cost of governance of this country. The sacrifice should start with a huge cut in the bloated incomes of our leaders

All the above points are vital. Remove one, and I cannot in any way see how the removal of this subsidy is a good thing at this time.

Enough Is Enough

Yes; enough is enough. It must end here. This government (and subsequent ones) must be taught a firm lesson that power belongs to the people.

I am angry. Many young Nigerians are angry. This time, we have chosen not to sit in our homes and grumble. We have chosen to stand up and speak out. We have chosen to take to the streets.

We will keep protesting. We will keep encouraging the protests. We will be peaceful – and God alone help anyone who thinks that guns and tanks can hold us back.

Media Blackout & Government Propaganda

TV and radio stations have been silenced by our government. But we have the internet. We will shout, rant, rave, scream, sing, curse, and swear till we are heard.

Many of us protesting are some of the brightest minds this country has – young people who are bringing out water from rock everyday. We are the rock and hope of this country. That is why my anger is even more kindled when a buffoon by the name Labaran Maku, my country’s dishonourable Minister for Information, labelled us “hoodlums”.

This is a man whose only achievement in life is his appointment to the Federal Executive Cabinet. Take a look at him.

This man and others in Goodluck Jonathan’s government feed fat on our resources. Some of them earn more than the President of the United States does, though they are a million times more insipid and worthless than him in every way. Think about that.

They burn our fuel to live comfortably in palatial mansions and to drive around in extensive convoys of posh vehicles – all at the tax-payer’s expense.

As I write, several peaceful public protests have been going on for days in cities and towns across Nigeria. Note: peaceful. We have a right to protest. In Lagos, Ibadan, Kano, Kaduna, Benin, Akure, Owerri and elsewhere, people are tired and are putting their feet where their mouths are.

I Will Not Be Quiet. I Am Angry

I am a public figure in my field. I run the top technology blog in Nigeria and West Africa. I speak at conferences and seminars, including international ones. I have done work for some of the top brands in the world. I am not a hoodlum.

The security agencies know how to find me should they choose to. If history is anything to go by, I might be picked up soon by the SSS or any of the other fly-by-night security agencies here in Nigeria.

Those agencies have proven helpless against real menaces like Boko Haram, but they are quick to jump in to pick up peaceful citizens who are only asking for equity, justice and a decent living.

One idiotic policeman said that if we see them shooting at protesters, we should understand that they are only following orders. My prayer for him and those who think like him is that may they be ordered to shoot at their children soon. Perhaps, that will swing their brains back into action. I encourage our security agencies to think.

To Nigerian officers, I say: these selfish nitwits at Aso Rock trample on you everyday. Your salaries (small as they are) go unpaid for months. You live in hell-holes, and you are as much victims as we are. Then they send you to do their dirty jobs. Think! Then do what is right.

Still, should I disappear, people know where to look.

But this is not about me. Should I disappear or die, keep protesting. By all means!

I have more articles coming up on this blog, so bookmark this now. Print this article out. Re-publish it as you seem fit. This message must go round.

Also, feel free to voice out in the comments section below.

Enough is enough! Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!