We the poor masses have suffered too much, while the handful of rich people ruling us keep exploiting and oppressing us. The wealth of just the five richest persons in Nigeria can end poverty in the country. But we are the county with the largest number of extremely poor people on the face of the earth.
To liberate ourselves from the clutches of poverty, end corruption, overcome insecurity, and ensure qualitative lives for working-class people and youth, we need #RevolutionNOW!
We are the only ones who can emancipate ourselves. We can do this only through struggle. We must mobilise and channel our anger at the system of the rich bosses and politicians who benefit from our state of suffering. The people united cannot be defeated. With Days of Rage, we will bring down the oppressors.
Join the struggle now and heed the call of the Coalition for Revolution (CORE). Be part of the first day of rage, on 5th August. Workers, artisans, poor farmers, women, youth and all sections of the poor masses will take over the streets in cities, towns and villages across the country. Wherever you are, march in anger against oppression with this historic mass movement.
In 2012, we demonstrated our power as the working masses when we rise up in unity as millions of people. And in Sudan and Algeria, we can see how the poor masses can change society when we fight. This is the time for Revolution Now in Nigeria, as part of the global awakening of workers and youth against the capitalist system.
Our struggle is objectively against capitalism. It is the system of the bosses. It is why we are poor, and they are rich. It is why there is a climate crisis which threatens to destroy the earth. We must not lose sight of this at each turn in this long-drawn struggle ahead of us.
Our aim is not to replace one set of capitalist oppressor with another. Our aim is to overthrow the capitalist system and replace it with the government of, we the working-class people and youth, with committees of the revolution in all our communities and workplaces. Only then can we truly say power belongs to we, the people.
The road ahead requires our commitment and clarity. We must be united, and our aims made clear. As we embark on this first day of rage, the demands of the movement are:
- An economy that works for the masses. No to an economy which throws 90 million people into poverty, while just five people own N11 trillion!
- An effective and democratic end to insecurity. Poverty, discrimination, repression by government and manipulation of ethnic differences by the rich elite are the roots of perpetual insecurity – we must end all these!
- An end to systemic corruption and for total system change. The bosses’ system is inherently corrupt. We must overthrow them and build a new society based on solidarity and democracy from below!
- The immediate implementation of the N30,000.00 minimum wage. Workers deserve living wages. All salary arrears must be immediately paid. Politicians must be placed on civil service salary scale. Even the N30,000 is not adequate, negotiations for upward review by 2021 must start now!
- Free and qualitative education for all. Education is a right and not a privilege. Massive investments must be made to develop public schools’ infrastructure. Curriculum must be reviewed to promote critical thinking. Independent student unionism must be respected!
We call on all: workers, including the unemployed; poor farmers; poor traders; and youth and students to join #RevolutionNow. It is only with our unity that we can build the power to tear down the bosses’ system of oppression and exploitation and in doing this build the democratic state of working-class people and youth.
Workers & Youth, Unite & Fight!
[being the text of a leaflet Issued by Socialist Workers & Youth League (an affiliate of the Coalition for Revolution, CORE) © August 2019]
