#EndSARS: Nothing can stop the power of determined youths – Kareem Azeez
The last time Nigerians spoke in one voice was back in 1993, the aftermath of a cancelled election which would have changed the narrative of the country. So when I eventually decided to give an eye to the current protest across the country, then I felt history, perhaps, is repeating itself, and importantly, Nigerians are seemingly understanding that power truly belongs to them.
After the careless murder of various civilians in the name of operation stop and search, Nigerians seem to have had enough. An ‘ENOUGH’ that is long overdue, brutalities by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in the name of searching for Yahoo-boys had gone beyond the horizon, while different reports from different parts of the country about their brutalities had gone underneath the carpets and just like a river, it flows without stopping to be corrected, until recently, and even right now as i write, the Great Nigerian youths, united by protest and destructive if angered, are out on the streets again.
Channels Television had tweeted, “We will not back down until we see the end of F-SARS, from the cold city of Port Harcourt, and even in Lagos, vigil were held across various center, from youths who have many times failed to realise how important their role is, if Nigeria must grow, and if truly suffering will be condemned to the barest minimum.
Many of us lost faith in the power to make a change as owned by the Youths who dominate 60-70% of the country’s population, due to the many irrelevant things they wield their strengths on, Nigerian youths won’t protest about bad governance, they won’t protest the high cost of living, they won’t protest excessive cost of government and unreasonable wages and salaries received by their politicians, but will protest over minor issues or raise awareness over issues that divert the attention from the true problem, and in fact morally wrong, so I am still surprised about where this energy is coming from.
If now is the time we embrace the spirit of Anikulapo Kuti, then our Demo-dey-craze, would begin to return to Democracy, then erasing the SARS would not be a bad starting point, achieving this is not going to be a statement, but rather the beginning of a saner society, dominated by offsprings who independently understand the power of majority, not by tribe, race, but Nigeria.
Fela, who exited the world on the 3rd August 1997, may God bless his soul, from time immemorial had said it all, in his kalakuta days, that Nigerians fear too much, and so they rather be pushed to the wall, he has said this then when at least we were still very much united but today, it amazes me at the level of how divided we have become, ethnicity has so clouded our reasoning faculty that we can go to war against humanity and good living, should anyone cross the borderline of our tribe, by mistake and uninvited
When the Nigeria police freed about 25 anti-government protesters in Lagos, subsequent protests were assumed would not rise, due to the nature of how fearful we are, but a month after the youths are on the streets again. This is only possible, because on a daily basis people continue to get even more angry, because a hungry man is an angry man. Various protest had come and gone yielding nothing or meagre results, and I am glad Nigerians are recently gaining their feet now, however the possibility of the government not yielding easily is on the horizon, they know too well the success of this would birth newer protest against old vices, and in no time, the real clamour of the dreaded ‘Revolution Now’ would crop up again but we will not let that take away the fact that we deserve and have the right to good living.
President Muhammadu Buhari has finally responded to the outrage of the people via his Twitter page.
He tweeted: “The vast majority of men and women of the Nigeria Police Force are patriotic and committed to protecting the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians, and we will continue to support them to do their job.” A shallow reply one had said, and indeed shallow is the report, the president is totally wrong to have used such a word as “Vast Majority”, which of the vast majority was he referring to? Is it the 371,800 police strength of which 30% of them are shielding politicians, and another large number of them on roadblocks extorting commuters and drivers of their hard earn money, or the unscreened process and manner through which some mentally imbalanced men are given guns in the name of SARS, President Muhammadu Buhari’s reply simply shows he is unaware of the situations on ground.
Comparing his reply to that of British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, who acknowledged the desire of the people calling for the scrapping of SARS, and instead urged President Muhammadu Buhari to build more accountability in the police, this to me is even a bigger reason never to stop at the SARS alone, but a continuous fight for a freer environment, where politicians are all treated equally with the masses.
I asked, where are the TUC, NLC, ASUU, ASUP, Civil Society Groups during these torrid times? Maybe we should wonder less about why NLC, TUC, ASUU and many public wings are not involved in this, reasons are not far fetched, that is simply because salaries are not what we are clamouring for. The corrupt NLC is also another major problem we have in our country undecided and deceitful as they are, few weeks ago, they had decided to embark on a nationwide protest, and those under their jurisdiction were already prepared, only to succumb like they have always done to the wits of the government, at midnight, how terrible.
I have come to the conclusion that every public association in the country is now under the influence of the government, and as such, little or no public good would be achieved.
Two days ago, the Federal Government had instructed the IGP (Mohammed Adamu) to order the removal of all roadblocks, by the Nigerian police, well the road blocks are still there, because the N50 the police are attracted to would stop, and that isn’t even on the agenda, if you doubt my word, a courtesy visit should be paid to Okoko, Ajangbadi in Lagos and many other areas, you will see the new strategy of how they operate, they are the depiction of thieves we can’t catch, but the power of a united voice is unshakeable.
Although there are even more than the tragedies of today, in the perspective of the SARS, but the deeper problems of our country lies in the foundation, and if eventually the SARS is scraped, there is no assurance that another monster is not lurking around the corner, and as a people, if we can summon ourselves at this larger number, nothing stops us to, in truth, put ourselves together and speak through the election system as well, demanding for fairness and truth maybe that way, a lot of things would begin to change, in the power of united protests.
