BEYOND #EndSARS

No force on earth can stop an idea whose time has come" ...Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885) French Poet, Novelist and Dramatist.

An Awakening!

For the very first time perhaps in modern history, and with an action long overdue for longer than we realize, Nigerian youths united in an unprecedented physical protest against Police brutality tagging the movement #ENDSARS, SARS being an acronym for Special Anti Robbery Squad, a Police unit tasked with preventing armed robberies. Unfortunately, the unit turned rogue and became notorious for extorting and wrongly profiling innocent and young Nigerians.

It may interest you to know that factors such as illiteracy, superstition, misguided religion, poverty, oppression and unchecked corruption especially within the political circles have systematically suppressed and silenced the citizens, and subduing them from speaking their truth and obtain their rights in the midst of conspicuous injustice.

Fast forward till this current moment, there has been a gigantic leap in areas of knowledge and technology, thus enlightening and inspiring new ideas and opportunities, and actually giving power to the people just as it should be.                                                                                      The youths have now not only realized that anything is achievable, they have also discovered the world has indeed become a global village and they can replicate and even surpass fantastic feats performed by their contemporaries in other parts of the world. 

Their passion for entrepreneurship in entertainment and invention of various products borne of bold ideas using modern technology made the youth enterprising enough to stand out in wealthy appearance, a strange outlook for the SARS and Police alike due to their apparent maltreatment by the government in terms of commiserate emoluments, proper housing and healthcare, causing the vibrant youths to be easy targets for extortion.

"Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world would do this, it would change the earth"...William Faulkner (1897 - 1962) American writer and Nobel Prize Laureate from Oxford Mississippi.

The Issues

Truth be told, no country or economy is perfect, but developed nations are those that embrace reality, are proactively enterprising and people oriented, because the lives of the people matter, and the power actually belongs to them.

Unfortunately however, Nigeria and even Africa by extension is known for depriving the citizens of humanity, which comprises human rights and basic amenities such as power, health care, education, employment, security and a decent living standard. 

Rather the elected officials oppress the people with dictatorial styled leadership, take unnecessary loans and squander them recklessly on white elephant projects without creating value, baring their financial illiteracy, and shamelessly live in denial as the economy crumbles before everyone's very eyes.

Salt was ultimately added to injury when the government systematically instigated the Police against the struggling citizens by depriving them of an acceptable standard of living, giving rise to crime and also prompting the security personnel to clamp down on innocent people being vulnerable targets, extorting them and lethally violating their fundamental human rights underneath the shadows of a judicial system broken by corruption and mediocrity.

"The world steps aside for the man who knows where he is going"...James Allen (1864 - 1912) British Philosophical Writer.

The Movement!

One of the commendable take aways from the #ENDSARS protest is the fact that virtually everyone of reason and repute aligned with the fact that the protest was valid, and that the youths indeed were bold to have taken a much required initiative to stand up for their right to live peacefully, and also ask for better treatment for the Police that dehumanizes them.

The peaceful protest surprisingly evolved into a massive movement of victims of police brutality, with young people uniting across tribal and religious lines to create a resounding awareness to the government. At first, the government concurred and seemed to show interest in resolving the issue at hand by disbanding SARS, but it was found that the government failed to realize that #ENDSARS had become code for a yearning to end of bad governance, SARS was a monster that the government had created.

The peaceful protest was however brought to an abrupt end when some people in military uniform arrived Lekki toll gate, Lagos and opened fire on the protesters, injuring some people, and there has also been allegations of some youths dying from gun shot wounds.

"If we throw blankets over our children's dreams, we darken their world and extinguish their desire to live"...Suzy Kassem (1975 - ) American Writer, Poet, Philosopher and multi-faceted Artist of Egyptian Origin.

 

The Future

There are many negative stereotypes that hamper Nigeria's progress. First is poverty, both of the stomach and then of the mind. Poverty has been weaponized against the Nigerian citizens, giving an outlook of a defeated people seeking hand outs from the privileged elites who would rather not have it any other way. Poverty has pitted people against each other, creating an unhealthy competition, when in fact there should be cooperation among the people in order to create a sustainable living.

The #ENDSARS protest is said to be just the beginning and a discovery of sort, that truly, the power of the people is greater than the people in power, and that the sheer power of will can make real changes for a better future.

It has now become desperately imperative that Nigeria raises young and vibrant leaders with vision and values that will shape Nigeria and even Africa with collective intelligence and shared mission to save the soul of such blessed a land, by educating and inspiring a new generation.

#ENDHATE

God bless us all.

Thank you, and be awesome because you truly are.

Akin Abimbola.

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SOURCES: Arise News, Brainy Quote, Channels TV,  CNN,  Google, Goodreads, Rise up and salute the Sun, The Punch, Youtube

This article is an original piece, which was reasonably researched, contains considerable opinion, and is composed in the unique style of the author.

The names in the published stories are not usually real and names appearing are probably coincidental except for news and quotes, which are typically referenced.