In Nigeria, anti-government protests unite a divided country

Whether it translates into longer-lasting political and social solidarity remains to be seen. Although the protest movement fizzled after only a few days, observers say the solidarity it forged across religious, ethnic, and political fault lines in places like Jos has potential to outlive the demonstrations themselves. A shared distrust of the government – whether in Nigeria, Bangladesh , or Venezuela , where anti-government protests have also recently broken out among a wide range of citizens – is also a fragile form of unity. “We are congregated here as Nigerians,”...