By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Former federal lawmaker that represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District, and human rights activist, Senator Shehu Sani has offered a sobering commentary on the challenges of mobilizing the masses for political and social change in Nigeria.
In a statement released on his official X handle, Sani pointed out that beyond addressing issues of injustice and oppression, those seeking to engage with the public must also be prepared to support them materially.
“When you invite and gather the masses to talk to them about their situation, their rights, their oppressors and their freedom, you also have to make some money available for them to solve some of their immediate personal problems,” he said.
Sani highlighted a stark reality in public mobilization: without financial incentives, many may disengage, expressing frustration over being subjected to what they perceive as repetitive and unproductive discussions.
“If you don’t do that, you’ll see some of them dossing, yawning or gradually leaving the hall for you and grumbling for wasting their time with ‘dry talk’. They will tell you that everything you want to tell them is something they have heard in the past,” he remarked.
According to Sani, this reflects a deeper societal issue—where poverty and disillusionment have made material inducement almost a prerequisite for political participation.
“Tragically, you have to pay the oppressed to unlock his chains,” he added, lamenting the entrenched role of money in Nigerian politics, from grassroots movements to student union elections.
He concluded by warning that the removal of monetary influence in politics will be a long and difficult process—”It will take time or take eternity,” he said.
Precise Post recalls that Senator Sani’s remarks serve as both a critique and a reflection of the challenges faced by reformers and activists in engaging with an increasingly cynical and economically burdened populace.
