If Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, thought he was going to have a smooth sail in America where he went for an event, he must have undermined the resolve of Nigerians in the diaspora to effectively mobilize and ridicule government officials in order to send a strong message of discontentment with the situation of things at home.
Members of the New York-based Nigeria Liberty Democratic Forum (NLDF) had earlier today staged a dramatic flash protest that forced Labaran Maku to abandon New York City Day Independence parade. The parade is an annual event organized by the Nigerian government and some Nigerian organizations in the US.
The NLDF protesters were led by Bukola Oreofe, an official of the group. The protesters had joined the colorful parade from 51st Street and 2nd Avenue when word spread that Mr. Maku was the “Parade Marshal” and led a troupe of Nigerian diplomats who waved the Nigerian flag at different groups as they danced the Nigeria House on 44th Street.
The NDLF members staged their traditional protest march past the Nigerian government officials. Shortly after, the protesters penetrated the area where the Nigerian minister and other officials were and began a flash protest. The protesters sang protest songs against the Goodluck Jonathan administration. Facing the minister, they shouted, “Go Home!” They also accused Nigerian officials of corruption and insensitivity to the plight of the vast majority of Nigerians.
One of the protesters told a correspondent of SaharaReporters that Mr. Maku “should return to Nigeria and sympathize with millions of Nigerians who are currently besieged by a massive flood disaster that has affected 22 states.” So far, the floods have claimed the lives of 148 Nigerians.
Other protesters demanded that the minister help to fix Nigeria’s myriad problems to ensure that Nigerians can celebrate their Independence Day in public without fear of terrorist attacks.
As the protests became charged, the Nigerian officials called in police officers from the New York Police Department to drive the protesters away. However, the NYPD officials showed no inclination to force out the protesters. Instead, the officers stood guard around the protesters to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
Once it became clear to the Nigerian delegates that NYPD officers would not force the protesters to leave, Mr. Maku and the diplomats left the stage and hurriedly retired inside the Nigeria House. Their disappearance brought the parade to an abrupt end.
The jubilant protesters continued to sing protest songs and addressed onlookers about the deplorable condition of their country. They warned that more protests against Nigerian officials visiting the US would be planned and staged.
SaharaReporters
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Nigerian president and his co-travelers, eg, Labaran Maku remind me of Theodore Mbiang Nguema, who was recently interviewed by CNN's Amamnpour. His country's GDP per capita is higher than that of United Kingdom, yet his citizens are subhuman with respect to every human development indicator. Nigeria is no different. Is it not an irony that our Pharaohs have been celebrating our independence day inside Aso Rock's toilets yet find it safer to celebrate same independence outdoors in a foreign land? We are ruled by circus clowns, I dare say.
ReplyDeleteLuvly, we wuld love more of dis frm u guyz.
ReplyDeleteThey move around the world with d most expensive entourage using taxpayers money while Nigerians wallow in poverty and underdevelopment.
Good work Nigerians!
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to see that we are waking up to the situation in Nigeria. Hopefully our next set of leaders will not be people whoes sole pupose is to loot and show of their stolen wealth and opress the masses.
ReplyDeleteWere they hoping the police in NY would beatthe protesters like our lawless police? Idiots, people are dying in tue country everyday they want to celebrate 52 failed years.
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT!! Show u how its really done. Retards! create the haven u seek elsewhere on ur own soil.
ReplyDeleteDon't be fooled by the distortion by Sahara Reporters. The event was widely sucessful, and the Minister did not abandon the event. For accurate details of what transpired, visit www.oanweb.org
ReplyDeleteSowore and cohorts, your reporting and comments on the celebration in NYC are the most absurd, irresponsible piece of journalism I have read in a long while. As you very well know, this event is not sponsored by the government, and has never been. It is funded by private Nigerians, Nigerian organizations, churches, and corporate sponsors. Yes, we may not be pleased with some of the things going on in Nigeria, but that is not a reason not to celebrate the presence of the Nigerian community in America. We must be doing something right, if we are able to bring out over 30,000 people to celebrate each year. The annual celebration is primarily organized by the Organization for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN), in collaboration with the Nigeria Independence Day Committee. Nigerians from all over the world look forward to this celebration, and no one will deny us of the work we have done over 20 years to build the parade to what it has become. You may want to educate yourselves about what OAN stands for by visiting www.oanweb.org We are much honored to have the Minister join the celebration, because it gave us an opportunity to impress upon him, concerns we have about the plight of our people back home. The Minister was gracious and actually showed superb class by encouraging the organizers to allow demonstrators to exercise their civic right of free speech. Sahara reporters should be terribly ashamed of themselves for distorting the success of an event which Nigerians from all over the world look forward to each year. Not Sahara reporter, not anyone can stop OAN from sponsoring this annual event.
ReplyDeleteMr. Francis, if i were in your shoes i will as well defend my project and organization, but it would ve been better for you to gain popularity of the majority back home rather than making mockery of your organization by inviting unpopular politicians, if you want to win the hearts of average Nigerians and you are not doing this to make political moves or appointment you would ve invited a Nigerian with good track record to grace the occasion.
ReplyDeleteSorry we are not really interested if sahara is telling other side of the story, for the fact that they made move to disrupt the event is a plus...how can you organize an open event far away from home and here in Nigeria we marked this same event indoor in fear.
who born Maku not to allow people to express their minds or civic right, he would have been a scape goat if he tries nonsense in Gods own country? where equity, justice, freedom of speech ..etc are the other of the day?
Well said
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