Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels, who is the wife of Nigerian billionaire politician, Ned Nwoko, has voiced her concerns about the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria, in a series of videos posted on social media.
In her latest address, Daniels highlighted the frustration of Nigerians and called for collective action from all levels of government to address the nation’s challenges.
“Everyone is frustrated and something needs to be done to appease the heart of the people, to avoid further loss of life and property,” she said.
“Nigeria is not a one man’s land, hence it is not a one man’s problem. Nigeria can only be fixed by the collective efforts of everyone in the government, ranging from the president, the governor, the senators, the house of representative members, the house of assembly members, down to the local government chairmen and councillors.
“What happens when the federal government understands the plights of the people and the state or local government does not or vice versa, the job still remains undone. Leaving thousands, suffering, hungry and jobless. The hike in prices of food, water, electricity, transportation, security and communication is alarming.
“There is hunger in the land. Nigeria cannot be fixed by having half bad eggs and half good eggs. All the lawmakers need to be in sync with the people’s plight, to fix Nigeria. Only then can what’s rightfully allocated to the grassroots fully gets to them.
“This should be a government for the people, not against them. And our armed forces, please refrain from using excessive force on the people as everyone has the right to air their voices and demand for transparency, accountability and participation, to avoid further loss of life and properties by our own people,” Regina Daniels said.
Thousands of Nigerians have been on the streets since August 1, decrying hunger, bad governance and inflation.
Organisers of the nationwide protests, dubbed #EndBadGovernance, said it would last 10 days. They are against reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu last year, which saw a hike in fuel prices, a devaluation of the Naira and a general inflation.
As the protests gain momentum, entertainers in Nigeria have not been indifferent.
Regina Daniels reiterated the importance of peaceful demonstrations. “There is nothing wrong in protesting and nothing wrong in wanting a change, nothing wrong in airing your voices but there is everything wrong in violence,” she said in a previous video that went viral.
With the recent appearance of the Russian flag in the North of the country, Daniels emphasized that systemic change cannot happen overnight or through the actions of a single individual.
“Nigeria cannot be changed in one day and not by one man. I am not speaking for the government neither am I speaking for popular support, the earlier we understand this protest is becoming something else, the better for us,” she added.
Daniels’ comments have sparked mixed reactions, with some Nigerians criticizing her for being out of touch due to her privileged position.
TikToker Crazy Christabel remarked, “Regina should also come on the streets and protest, not sitting at home to advise Nigerians.”
Many on social media have urged Daniels to remain silent, arguing that her privileged status makes her an unfit spokesperson for the average Nigerian.
Despite the backlash, Daniels remains one of the few Nollywood actresses to publicly advocate for change.
Meanwhile, other celebrities have shown varying degrees of support for the protests. Comedian Real Warri Pikin was seen at the protest grounds in Abuja, and rapper Vector joined demonstrators in Lagos, where he was praised for his bravery.
Vector later used his X account to warn his peers against ignoring the struggles of their fans.
Not all celebrities have taken to the streets, but many have expressed solidarity with the protesters online.
Popular comedian, Mr Macaroni, on his X page, criticized the police for their heavy-handed tactics against peaceful demonstrators.
“Never cease to amaze me that you would rarely find the police preventing citizens from being harmed or find them at locations where properties are being destroyed or looted. But you will find them in their battalions arresting, beating and throwing tear gas at those walking peacefully protesting on the streets, singing and carrying placards,” he said.
At least 40 protesters have been killed by the police and the army, with hundreds of others arrested, local media reported, quoting the protest organizers.
The protest organizing committee has set aside three days (Aug. 7-9) to mourn those who died.
