The address by Nigerian head of state, Gen Abdusalam Abubakar, broadcast last night on national television and radio might go some way towards calming the unrest on the streets of Lagos. In his speech, which lasted barely five minutes, the country's latest military ruler appealed for calm and lamented the death of the opposition leader, Moshood Abiola.
He called the dissident's death, which he said occurred "on the brink of his release from detention", "a national tragedy". However, Gen Abubakar dashed the hopes of all those Nigerians who hoped he would use the occasion to reveal a programme for transition to democratic, civilian rule. The new ruler spoke of his commitment to democracy in the aftermath of assuming power after the death last month of the despotic Gen Sani Abacha.
But last night there was no more talk of democracy, no talk of elections and no mention made of the release of more political prisoners.
"Our friends in the West who are celebrating the new regime in Nigeria might now understand that nothing has changed", Mr Femi Falana of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights told The Irish Times last night. "Britain and the United States think they can do business with Abubakar. But Nigerians have lost hope in the military and the same system continues".
Gen Abubakar last night talked of the "imperatives for national reconciliation" and made vague reference to the need for a restoration of democracy. He promised to "address these challenges in an organised, deliberate and orderly fashion".
He added that Abiola would have "contributed his own quota to this process". What this process might be and whether there will be elections in the near future remains unclear.
"It's all very well to say Abiola was about to be released but then it's easy to say that now", says Mr Ayo Obe of the Council for Civil Liberties. "Most of us don't know why the military is still clinging to power. We need to hear something very soon." Many, including the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, who recently visited Nigeria, have speculated that elections might be held in the New Year. Last night's broadcast, Gen Abubakar's second since taking over the presidential office, will do little to calm the fears of opposition activists and pro-democracy campaigners.
For 28 of the past 38 years since independence, Nigeria has been governed by the military. A series of military leaders have reneged on their promises to stand down. The only man who voluntarily ceded power to a civilian administration, the recently freed Gen Olusegun Obasanjo, was jailed for his troubles by the late Sani Abacha.
Earlier in the day, Gen Abubakar dissolved his cabinet of minister but the overall military ruling council remains in place. Nigerians and the international community have been ready to believe the best of the country's new leader. But for the moment all they can do is believe that the general addressing them was genuine in his claim that the death of Abiola was "one of the saddest moments of our lives". Gen Abubakar said last night he would address Nigerians on the "general character" of his administration "in due course". Watch this space but wait a while before you invest in a beach-front property on the Lagos riviera.
The US envoy, Mr Thomas Pickering, said yesterday the United States now wanted the "immediate" release of all Nigerian political detainees following the sudden death of jailed opposition leader Moshood Abiola.
Mr Pickering, who witnessed Abiola's dramatic death from a heart attack on Tuesday, said freeing remaining detainees was a condition for ending symbolic sanctions Washington had imposed to push Nigeria to improve its human rights and democratic record.