Thousands of Nigerians took to the streets of their economic capital Lagos on Wednesday for a noisy but violence-free protest against rising fuel prices and President Olusegun Obasanjo's policies for economic reform.
Traffic was halted in the heart of Africa's biggest city as the column, at one point three kilometres (two miles) long, made its way to the headquarters of the Lagos state government accompanied by drumming, singing and shouts of support from bystanders.
While the immediate trigger for the protest was last month's sudden increase in petrol and diesel prices, the march brought to the surface wider dissatisfaction with Obasanjo's rule, six years after the start of what many still call "Nigeria's democratic experiment".
Nobel literature laureate Wole Soyinka and veteran pro-democracy activist Beko Ransome-Kuti were among the well-known figures leading the march alongside Nigeria's chief trade union leader, Adams Oshiomhole, and several opposition politicians.
"We are committed to a line of sustained action aimed not only at the immediate objective of total reversal of the latest price increases, but indeed the ultimate goal of bringing an end to a bad government," Ransome-Kuti told reporters ahead of the march.
Some of the demonstrators wore Obasanjo masks and others brandished banners reading "Stop implementing World Bank policies now" and "Obasanjo must go".
Last month Obasanjo's government increased pump prices from around 50 naira (41 US cents) to 65 (49 US cents) per litre, a 23 percent hike.
Wednesday's rally will be followed by similar marches in cities across the country until October 3, when the unions will meet and decide whether to launch their sixth general strike in as many years.
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