Amidst challenges we find strength.

  In the face of unrelenting challenges, gratitude may seem like a distant luxury, yet it's precisely what we need.

In honor of the protest that began today, August 1, 2024, due to the poor governance in Nigeria, I want to express my gratitude.

I am grateful for our basic civil rights, including the right to express ourselves with respect.

I am grateful for the strength and determination driving this movement.

I am grateful for all the citizens of Nigeria willing to stand up and the lawyers supporting us.

I am grateful for democracy in Nigeria.

Democracy is a system of government in which laws, policies, leadership, and major undertakings are decided by the people, but in Nigeria, the situation is quite the opposite. We are currently experiencing high prices for fuel, food, and facing insecurity, among other issues. Even basic foods like garri have become expensive, not to mention tomatoes and fresh pepper. Thank God for His mercy, we are still surviving, though sometimes I wonder how.

I am grateful to the Almighty for helping us come up with ideas to cope with the situation.

I am grateful for the ingenuity we use to stretch our food budget.

I am grateful for vegetables like carrots, green beans, and onions that I use to cook spaghetti without tomatoes, and it still tastes good. Buying spaghetti now feels like buying a human kidney; it costs ₦1,200 in the market now, up from ₦200.

I am grateful for neighbors who are kind enough to share their meals with me. In these times of high costs, only kind souls can be this generous.

I am especially grateful for a peaceful protest in Abuja.

Did you know? In the 1930s, Mahatma Gandhi led the Indian people in a nonviolent act of civil disobedience, marching against taxes levied by the British salt monopoly. Gandhi and his followers trekked 240 miles over 24 days, gently shaking the world with their ultimately successful nonviolent protest.

I pray the government listens and acts swiftly.

Happy new month! I pray August favors us all.

What are you grateful for about the protest?