Nigeria’s South West: A Rainbow In The Storm

By

Ola Olateju

In a nation gripped by worsening socioeconomic conditions, surging insecurity, and a palpable governance vacuum, a new movement is about to emerge from the embers of citizen frustration and youth despair. The Rainbow Alliance, a coalition of progressive minds, human rights defenders, student leaders, and ethnic nationality groups is currently taking shape in South West Nigeria. It represents a new socio-political front demanding radical transformation amid a national crisis. Its emergence is not just timely; it is historically necessary and internationally resonant, aligning with global waves of youth-led democratization, civic awakening, and demands for inclusive governance. The Alliance will any moment from now be launched and opened to every progressive minded Nigerians including those in the diaspora. It aims to develop cells in every street, workplace, school, etc. across the region.

Why Now? The Compelling Conditions Fueling the Rainbow Alliance

Feelers from one of the organizers indicated the worsening socio-economic conditions in the country which according to him require the people rising to improve and protect their very existence. These conditions include

1. Escalating Hunger and Poverty

Nigeria ranks 109 out of 125 countries in the 2023 Global Hunger Index, categorized as suffering “serious” levels of hunger. As at 2022, over 133 million Nigerians representing 63% of the population are classified by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) as multi-dimensionally poor with the South West paradoxically contributing to the number despite its relative economic strength. Notably, this incidence of multi-dimensional poverty is higher in rural areas with 72% compared to urban areas with 43%.

2. Unemployment and Joblessness

Youth unemployment stood at 53.4% in Q4 2022, according to the NBS’s revised labor force survey (2023). South West states like Oyo, Osun, and Ekiti are witnessing an exodus of young talents, as the “Japa” phenomenon intensifies. With over 70% of Nigeria’s population under 30, this represents a critical failure of national leadership.

3. Insecurity and the Collapse of Social Order

Nigeria experienced over 3,600 abductions in 2023 alone (SBM Intelligence). The South West, once considered relatively secure, now faces rising cases of cult violence, kidnappings, ritual killings, police brutality, and communal conflicts further eroding public trust.

4. Inflation and the Cost-of-Living Crisis

Headline inflation reached 33.2% in March 2025 (NBS), with food inflation spiking above 40%. The prices of basic commodities like garri, rice, and fuel have more than tripled since 2021. Students and young workers are the hardest hit, with rising tuition, rent, and transport costs fueling disenchantment.

5. Systemic Leadership Failure

From elite corruption to captured institutions, Nigeria’s governance system remains dysfunctional. The EFCC recorded over 2,700 convictions in 2023, but structural impunity persists. Electoral manipulation, judicial compromise, and legislative silence have disillusioned young Nigerians.

The Alliance’s Strategic Vision and National Collaboration

The Rainbow Alliance is not just a regional expression of anger. It is a coordinated movement with a national vision. Central to its strategy is building alliances with other progressive forces across the federation to ensure credible, people-driven elections in 2027 and beyond. The Alliance recognizes that electoral integrity is the gateway to national renewal and sustainable development.

Its collaborative agenda includes:

Partnering with civil society organizations and reform-minded parties to monitor, defend, and protect votes.

Mobilizing progressive youth for political participation at all levels—from campus elections to national leadership.

Building a cross-regional coalition to challenge the dominance of recycled political elites.

Promoting civic education and digital voter engagement campaigns to prepare the youth for 2027.

Global Inspiration, Local Application

The Rainbow Alliance draws inspiration from a wave of civic mobilization across the globe, from Chile’s constitutional reform to South Africa’s Fees Must Fall, and Nigeria’s own #EndSARS movement. International human rights instruments such as the African Youth Charter, the UN’s Youth2030 strategy, and ECOWAS’ democracy protocols legitimize youth-led democratic movements like the Rainbow Alliance.

The Composition: A New Social Contract from Below

On the composition of the Alliance, the source revealed that Alliance includes:

Youth and Student Unions: Reawakening political consciousness in tertiary institutions stifled by decades of state capture.

Human Rights Defenders: Pushing back against police brutality, authoritarianism, and institutional injustice.

Nationality Movements: Advocating regional equity and true federalism within a united Nigeria.

Progressive Professionals and Academics: Providing thought leadership, policy alternatives, and institutional memory.

From Lamentation to Liberation

The Rainbow Alliance is a civic coalition with a radical heart and a unifying vision for sustainable development. It arises to challenge the broken status quo and to usher in a new order based on justice, youth empowerment, and national renewal. The time for silence and resignation has passed.

With credible elections in 2027 as its first national test, and the South West as its pilot platform, the Rainbow Alliance sends a clear message: Youth are no more the future but the present. Change will no longer wait.

DR. OLA OLATEJU WRITES FROM ACHIEVERS UNIVERSITY, OWO, ONDO STATE