For the Nigerian Left, the strongest lesson of what may now be called Nigeria’s #RevolutionNow—that is, the 5 August mass protests organised by some young fragments of the movement—may be formulated as a warning.

Reflecting on the recent general elections in South Africa, the author argues that there needs to be concerted efforts to building a strong movement that would lead the country towards a process of social transformation after the inevitable collapse of the ruling party.

South Africans voted overwhelmingly on 8 May for the ruling African National Congress (ANC), returning the party to government with a nearly 3-1 majority above the nearest runner up within the legislative structure.

Recent higher levels of electoral choice might reflect deeper trends that could harm South Africa’s democracy in future.

The author argues that the Nigerian Left, if well organised, could represent a concrete revolutionary platform for restructuring politics in the country.