From the start, I was appre hensive about the outcome of the general strike. I’m not sure what I was expecting but there was a certain weariness of having been there, done that with nothing to show but the proverbial tattered t-shirt.

Initially, I had given this one three days – that’s the usual pattern –—we hold out and by the third day the majority of Nigerians who survive on daily hustling become restless and then we throw in the towel.

In all honesty though, there was something quite different about the quality of this last mass protest. For an entire week, Nigerians stood side by side regardless of tribe, religion or social status and spoke with one voice and stood their ground. By Wednesday it was beginning to look like we were set for the long haul… and I began to feel the glimmer of hope; could this possibly be the one?

By the weekend I went about restocking supplies like you would in the army, fully prepared like the majority of Nigerians to sit this one through even though I suspected that by the Monday some sort of negotiation would take place during which I was secretly hoping that government would continue to be unreasonable and obstinate so we can press on and deal with some salient national issues once and for all.

After Mr President’s speech I was like really? Let’s see what the people have to say.  Especially since the slogan had been go back to 65N or nothing. You can therefore imagine my disconnect after watching the press conference called by Labour. What did I miss?

Am I the only that feels suspended in animation? Like a discontinued sentence or abruptly halted thought.  The pump price has been reduced from 140N to 97N and we carry on with life and living? That’s it? Why do I feel short changed. Like once again being used as a pawn in a game to which I do not know the rules and I’m only half aware is even being played.

Then in one breath Mr President acknowledges that for the most part the protests were peaceful and lawful, and that he acknowledges our right to gather. Then in the next you’re drafting soldiers armed to the teeth to come and lay siege.

To the best of my knowledge there were no reported cases of violence at the Gani Fawehinmi Park; if anything it was a concert. And to add insult to injury, while a large detachment of soldiers was drafted to occupying a peaceful Lagos, the mastermind of the Madalla bombings escaped while being ‘escorted’ by five policemen.

Again I ask, is this it?  What is government’s act of good faith in this ‘transformation’? What did the NLC bring back from the negotiation? Oh! I forget it wasn’t a negotiation, they just simply agreed to the terms they were given. So what really is going on?

And that extra 32N on the litre? where is it supposed to come from? Now that the pump price has been increased will all the States now agree to implement the new minimum wage? More importantly how am I to view this volte-face by Labour? A betrayal, or a tactical withdrawal based on information the majority of Nigerians will never be privy to?