by Wareez Odunayo

Musician and entertainment icon, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy was attacked on Tuesday in Wuse Market, Abuja by some Hausa protesters, who are believed to be supporters of the President Muhammadu Buhari.

Charly boy and his group, “Our Mumu Don Do” have been protesting and demanding the return or resignation of the President who has been on medical leave in London for over 100 days. They took their campaign to the Market in Abuja, in order to gather more support, but met persons sympathetic to the president, who attacked him.

Last week, Charly Boy collapsed when police officers sprayed tear gas and water canisters during their protest at the Unity Fountain while his car was damaged during Tuesday’s attack.

It’s a sad reality that Nigeria does not operate an ideal environment where law and order is respected.

Charly Boy has the right to stage a protest just like every other citizen. However, he should note that anyone who throws a stone in a market place cannot predict who it hits. His decision to go into Wuse market – a place dominated by followers of President Buhari – was not well thought out. Whoever mooted the idea to the entertainer would be licking his wounds now as he was pelted with stones at the screams of ‘Sai Baba’.

His assaulters should be picked up, charged and made to face the full weight of the law as violence is unacceptable and ought to be condemned strongly. The level of disrespect and intolerance for the opinions of others in the country needs to be addressed. No one should be cowered into fear, thereby making people afraid of holding a protest in an area dominated by whoever the protest is against.

Also, presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, has no right to tell the protesters, to look for something better doing rather than trying to overheat the polity. He said the President has satisfied every constitutional requirement before his departure by duly handing over to his vice, Yemi Osinbajo.

Inasmuch as Buhari has handed over power, he has a moral duty to inform Nigerians on the state of his health.

Wouldn’t it be wise for the presidency to stop treating Nigerians like animals?

The citizens ought to also come to the understanding that a divergence of opinions is not synonymous to enmity and does not have to result in violence of any kind.

What exactly is the National Orientation Agency (NOA) doing to enlighten Nigerians about the need to avoid hate speech and to live in harmony? Are they more concerned that some citizens prefer to say Naija instead of Nigeria or will they decide to wake up to their responsibility of informing the citizenry?

Editor