An #EndBadGovernance protester in Lagos, Ogwu Chijioke, was unaware of what was in store for him and his son, when he took off from his home in FESTAC to join others at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota.
Arriving at the protest ground on a bike on Wednesday marking the first day of the protest, a journalist asked Mr Chijioke why he joined the protest.
In response, the protester lamented the hardship in the country, and how he was unable to afford to purchase data for his 13-year-old son who was learning programming.
Condemning the educational system in the country, the protester said he was willing to drop his son out from school for him to focus on furthering his study on programming, and called on the government to assist his son in that regard.
He said, “I’m coming from FESTAC, my son at 13, is a programmer. I don’t even have data for him to learn more. I can’t even pay for his tuition fee, millions of naira. Goodluck Benjamin is his name. My name is Ogwu Benjamin Chijioke.”
“So I’ll rather die on the streets than die at home. I can’t sit down and watch the future of my son go to waste. I may not have something again in Nigeria but my son’s future will not be wasted. My son is in JS 3, getting SS1. I want him to go into programming full time. The education we run in Nigeria is a waste. We’re learning outdated things that we cannot use in the future. I’d rather my son drop out of school and face coding and programming full time.If the government can give him a scholarship for him to study it, I don’t mind giving my son to Nigeria. He will better Nigeria.’’Moments later, an X user, @Morris_Monye, tagging the interview with Mr Chijioke wrote, “You can feel the passion in his soul. He’s lost hope that life will be good for him but not lost hope for his son,” and later asked for his bank details for donations.
Posting a video on his X page on Monday to appreciating Nigerians for the donation, Mr Chijioke said, “I’m really overwhelmed. I’m so grateful to God. I love you people of Nigeria for the love you’re showing me. In fact, I’m still pinching myself if I’m dreaming.
Identifying some of those that donated, he said, “God bless you all. In fact, my wife and I, it’s like we’re dreaming. I’m shocked, the love is massive. I’m so grateful. Thanks so much everyone.”
In another update on Friday, Mr Chijioke confirmed his son has received his first laptop to enable him run his programme.
“His first laptop was got four years ago, I will be giving some background update on Goodluck Benjamin, how it all started, how he used one of my abandoned faulty phones with no SIM inside at the age of 7 years to create his own Facebook account all by himself with my knowledge,” he wrote.
Mr Chijioke, like many other aggrieved protesters across the country, armed with placards and chanting anti-government songs, participated in the demonstrations which began on August 1, 2023.
The protesters are demanding an end to bad governance, reversal of anti-people economic policies by the Bola Tinubu administration among others.
