Anger boils over

Today marks exactly a year since Mohammed Bouazizi died. He had suffered for three weeks in pains after self-immolating himself as a result of a humiliating experience he suffered. His action, and subsequent death brought out the anger in his native country Tunisia, and in the wider Arab region, changing the world forever.

Yesterday, the anger spilled out to the streets across our country, Nigeria. From Lagos, to Abuja, to Kano, people took to the streets to protest new year day's massive increase in petroleum prices. But it was in Ilorin that the pivotal event may have happened as anti-riot police killed at least one person (up to six depending on whom your sources are). What we do know is that there is a picture of Muyideen Mustapha who was shot on that day. We pray for him to rest in peace. Amen.

That unnecessary death because our police forces have failed to evolve proper riot control techniques may have finally jolted the Nigeria Labour Congress into real action. In the strongest language ever used by organised labour against a sitting government in Nigerian history, the NLC called our President a liar, and feelers coming out of the top echelons of the NLC indicate that in today's meeting, the body may actually ask the President to resign. Meanwhile while Nigeria is on the boil, the House of Representatives, still on holiday, have announced that they have no position on the fuel subsidy removal.

Speaking of stories that may be true or untrue, the NCC, Airtel and MTN have come out to deny the stories that circulated yesterday. Yesterday, we were told that the government had directed that blackberry services be shutdown from today to prevent protesters from using them to organise themselves.

But blackberry services being shutdown shouldn't affect the organisation that much afterall, services in Nigeria have never been known to be the most efficient, services such as the 'cashless Lagos" programme which was meant to kick off on New Year's day, and herald a "Cashless Nigeria". There is a lot of confusion as to what it all means sadly.

But then again, confusion seems to be the name of the game as the Boko Haram threat looms. Today is the final day of the nebulous group's ultimatum...