What the president should have said also

On 22 October 2020, the president finally addressed the nation after numerous requests to do so. I read the transcript of his speech this morning and observed some missing elements.

He should have decried the gruesome, wicked, ill-informed army attack on harmless protesters at Lekki.

He should have told Nigerians that the situation is being investigated and that all erring parties, civilian and military, would be prosecuted according to the laws of the land.

He should have expressed his grief, in so many words, over the loss of innocent lives amidst the peaceful protests hijacked by sponsored thugs (no thug works for free, but the sponsor(s) is/are yet to own up) and mobilized military personnel by “forces beyond our direct control”.

He should have assured Nigerians of the government’s unwavering effort to continually reform the nation’s economic situation while protecting the lives and rights of Nigerian citizens.

He should have apologized for taking up to 48 hours to address the nation in the aftermath of the Lekki attack. Doing that would have expressed the government’s show of empathy and not a weak stance.

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