From Premium Times Nigeria · Wole Olaoye · · 1m 50s
Protest, Not Revolution
French student protests mirror Nigerian youth movements despite different historical contexts.
In brief
French student protests mirror Nigerian youth movements despite different historical contexts. French student protests and Nigerian youth movements both highlight systemic failures in education, but French demonstrations demand immediate resources while Nigerian protests occurred under military rule. Originally…
French protests peak
French student demonstrations peaked in early October across 40 cities.
“The current wave of demonstrations in 40 French cities, driven by chronic teacher shortages, dilapidated school infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, and anger over iron-fisted policing, peaked nationally in early October.”
Che Guevara connection
October 9 marks Che Guevara’s execution in Bolivia, a date critics use to link French protests to revolutionary history.
“Because October 9 marks the historical date of Che Guevara’s execution in Bolivia, critics, left-wing commentators, or historically minded student factions occasionally draw conceptual parallels between the two.”
French protest origins
French protests stem from teacher shortages, poor school infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, and police crackdowns.
“The current wave of demonstrations in 40 French cities, driven by chronic teacher shortages, dilapidated school infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, and anger over iron-fisted policing, peaked nationally in early October.”
Nigerian student protests
Nigerian student protests in the 1970s demanded better education resources under military rule.
“The Nigerian student protests of the 70s, which culminated in the 1978 nationwide mobilisation, were sparked initially by a hike in accommodation and feeding fees.”
Organisation differences
French protests use decentralized student unions and digital networks, while Nigerian protests had a centralised National Union of Nigerian Students.
“The modern French protests are characterised by decentralised, rapid mobilisation driven by high school student unions (Union Syndicale Lycéenne) and amplified through digital networks. By comparison, the 1970s Nigerian student movement possessed a formidable, highly centralised institutional framework anchored by the National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS), which acted almost as an unofficial opposition party in the absence of democracy.”
Police responses differ
French authorities deploy tear gas and curfews, while Nigerian military used live ammunition against students.
“Whereas the French authorities have deployed tear gas, structural curfews or closures on affected campuses, and mass arrests handled through the judicial system, the engagement occurs within a framework of a liberal democratic republic. Nigerian students were not that lucky under the military. The use of live ammunition by soldiers and police against unarmed students at institutions like the University of Lagos and Ahmadu Bello University resulted in tragic fatalities, including student leader Akintunde Ojo.”
French demands
French students demand €10 billion for education, fixed classrooms, heating, and safe transport.
“But but we must not get it twisted. Protests in the era of Ché Guevara were explicitly ideological, anti-imperialist, and systemic, aiming to overthrow or radically restructure capitalist and geopolitical systems. The ongoing one in France is fundamentally pragmatic, and their demands are immediate and material, asking for a €10 billion injection into public education, fixed classrooms, functioning heating, and safe student transport.”
Trump's false claims
Trump falsely linked French protests to immigration, claiming Islam wants to take over France.
“He issued sharp warnings directed at French President Emmanuel Macron, controversially framing the unrest around identity politics and asserting that “Islam wants to take over France.””
Trump's past claims
Trump previously falsely claimed French protesters supported him during Yellow Vests protests.
“He had weighed in on major waves of unrest in France across different years, most notably regarding the historic “Yellow Vest” (Gilets Jaunes) demonstrations. During the massive anti-government and fuel tax protests that rocked Paris, Trump claimed without evidence that protesters marching through Paris were chanting slogans supporting him (specifically asserting they shouted “We want Trump”), which was widely debunked by international fact-checkers and reporters on the ground.”
French perspective
French officials acknowledge their dependence on former colonies, citing Africa as critical for their stability.
“Thankfully, former French President Jacques Chirac, in a moment of unforced candour, declared in March 2008, “Without Africa, France will slide down into the rank of a third [world] power.””
Key lessons
French protests teach four lessons: systemic decay breeds rage, leaders must address failures, law enforcement fails to contain unrest, and youth won't wait.
“We have a choice to either learn from the French protests or continue to repeat the same mistakes that led to the historic demonstrations. The young men and women of France are teaching the rest of the world four awesome lessons: (a) Structural decay breeds systemic rage; (b) when political leaders respond to systemic failures with administrative detachment, it widens the chasm of distrust; (c) Relying primarily on law enforcement to contain social unrest born of institutional failure is counterproductive; (d) youth are no longer willing to “wait their turn”.”
Systemic failure
Both movements highlight systemic failures in education and governance that youth demand accountability for.
“So, this isn’t a matter of African immigrants putting pressure on the facilities of a European country. Rather, it is the chickens of a broken system coming home to roost.”
Conclusion
Global youth movements show systemic failures in education and governance require immediate action.
“We have a choice to either learn from the French protests or continue to repeat the same mistakes that led to the historic demonstrations.”
The one thing
French student protests and Nigerian youth movements both highlight systemic failures in education, but French demonstrations demand immediate resources while Nigerian protests occurred under military rule.
