It was February 24 2010. For weeks, the rumor mill had been in overdrive as speculation about President Yar’Adua’s health took on a life of its own. Some said he was in a vegetative state; others believed he was already dead. In hushed tones, people spoke about a shadowy cabal, allegedly led by his wife, Turai, determined to block any power transfer to his vice president, Goodluck Jonathan.
Jonathan was not a particularly sympathetic figure. Critics dismissed him as weak, with some even whispering that he was a habitual drinker who had lucked into power thanks to his wife, Patience’s political connections and tenacity. Still, the constitution was clear—if a president was incapacitated, the vice president must assume the role of acting president until the president could resume office. It was only lawful. It was only proper.
On the morning of February 24th, Nigerians woke up to shocking news: President Yar’Adua had been flown back into the country under the cover of darkness. No official statement was made. No one saw him. It was as if a ghost had been smuggled into Aso Rock. The secrecy only fueled suspicion. Was he alive? Was he capable of governing? Was Turai truly calling the shots behind the scenes?
I was incensed. This felt like an outright subversion of the constitution, yet reading through the newspaper editorials and Facebook rants, I felt there was no real sense of urgency. It was terrifying. If a blatant power grab like this could happen unchecked, what did that mean for our democracy?
It was then that I reached out to Chude. I still don’t know what I expected from a 24-year-old, but I knew that if anyone could rally a movement, it was him. His response was simple: “Don’t worry, Bisola. We will do something.”
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Two days later, on February 26th, Chude sent the now-famous email titled “Where is the Outrage?” That email sparked what would become one of the most influential civic movements in Nigeria: Enough is Enough (EiE).
The Birth of a Movement
None of us had a long-term plan. There was no grand vision. Just a group of young, angry citizens determined to push back against impunity. Meetings were held. A name was chosen. The organization was registered to receive donations. Protests were planned and executed. The constitutional crisis was ultimately resolved, and new political challenges took its place.
But momentum is a tricky thing. As time passed, numbers dwindled. People got busy with careers and businesses, and the initial fire began to flicker. Then came a pivotal moment—a meeting in Ikoyi, where we found ourselves asking: What next for EiE?
The truth? No one had the time to keep the movement going. We all believed in its mission, but belief alone wasn’t enough. That meeting could have been the end of EiE, and perhaps that would have been fine. But then, there was Yemi. She was the one willing to commit. We prevailed on her to lead, and because of that decision, here we are, 15 years later.
A New Generation, A New Responsibility
Of all the work EiE has done, what I’m most proud of is its role in fostering citizen engagement with the government. Nigerians are not used to holding elected officials accountable. EiE is changing that through its Office of the Citizen program.
But as the younger generation takes the mantle, I want to offer some advice. Many Nigerians view the government with deep mistrust—and often rightly so. But this mistrust, if unchecked, can cloud the way we engage. Too often, public discourse is driven by emotion rather than strategy.
Outrage is not enough. Engagement must be informed, intelligent, and structured. Understand the issues. Know the law. Pay attention to the Senate and the House of Representatives—that is where policies are shaped. Challenge your representatives. Demand accountability, not just through social media uproar but through sustained civic action.
The future of Nigeria depends on how well its citizens engage with governance. If we want real change, we must move beyond outrage to informed action. The power has always been with us—we must learn to use it.
Bisola Edun is the CEO of Tae Afrika, a leading fashion design house in Nigeria and across the African continent. She believes that civic engagement—bringing citizens’ voices and values into public policy by fostering civic literacy—is crucial to driving change in Nigeria.
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