Nigeria is all I have, and I have a right to demand that it works for all of us, not just those with influence, wealth, or government positions.
I am part of a generation of Nigerians who have lived most of their adult lives under ‘democratic’ rule and yet, I wake up feeling there is no difference between the Nigeria I grew up in, and the Nigeria my parents grew up in. The sacrifices of the democrats who bravely stood for the June 12 mandate to bring our democracy to life seem to be in vain. Ironically, many of them are serving in the present government in Nigeria and the ruling party.
Everywhere I turn, I am told that I should be ‘grateful’ for a democracy in which lives were lost, I should be thankful that I have a voice and I can speak up for myself and my peers. But how can I be grateful when young men and women disappear every day; some killed recklessly without cause, while others get scarred for life — physically, emotionally, or both?
When we began to protest, it was because young Nigerians had decided to speak up.
We spoke up – not because we wanted to overthrow the government but because we wanted the police to stop killing us. We did not carry arms, or incite any insurrection. Our only weapon was peaceful protest, as enshrined in Section 40 of our 1999 Constitution. At every point we maintained calm and educated our followers – reiterating throughout the protests that we were not there to fight the government but to ask for change and to follow through to make sure that change was effected.
We believed that somehow we would be spared from the systemic violence and breakdown of social order that was the direct result of the government’s actions. Unfortunately we were mistaken.
I volunteered to receive donations for our cause by Nigerians at home and abroad, who felt helpless to personally protest but believed they could make a difference through financial sacrifices. Such was the passion of average Nigerians to contribute how best they could to the #EndSARS cause, that they found my personal account number and sent in what they could sacrifice towards the cause. Some people even sent as little as ₦500; all they could spare towards the cause. To have their sacrifices rubbished by government and their motivations questioned is disheartening because the raised funds, including over N200,000 gathered from my business, were meant to be disbursed to attend to the medical bills of injured protesters.
We called for, among other things, a probe into the killings and torture of people and the government agreed to this by setting up judicial panels. In order to assure young people of the independence and fairness of the panels, I took up the role of a youth representative at the detriment of my education, personal life and family. I did this to make peace. I did this to ensure our young people understood that the only way to create a better and safer Nigeria is to do things lawfully. Why am I still being targeted for lending the government my good will?
I am not part of Nigeria’s political or business elite. I have no relatives in government or family members with enough wealth to sway powerful individuals. I am just an ordinary young Nigerian. I study, sell hoodies and other clothing for about ₦5,000 a piece to pay my school fees. I also do the odd bit of freelancing, taking on some brand influencing work to ensure my family doesn’t suffer. Somehow, however, my existence threatens my government; the fact that I have a voice is enough for them to try to silence me.
In the Nigeria I am fighting for, it wouldn’t matter that I am the child of nobody, coming from the average Nigerian home. The Nigeria I am fighting for is one that prioritises every voice, and protects every inalienable right; including mine.
I decided to use the only currency I have, my voice, to speak up against extrajudicial killings, torture, extortion and unjust harassment that are still happening in a democratic nation in the 21st century! The government also agreed that reform is inevitable and promised us they were going to listen to us, so why punish the same people who are speaking up?
I am not afraid. I am only disappointed that this country will treat me this way.
Nigeria is all I have, and I have a right to demand that it works for all of us, not just those with influence, wealth, or government positions.
In a country in which the people have been voiceless for a long time, people holding the government accountable is being seen as too much? How can we then ensure and encourage people to build a new Nigeria? A Nigeria that will be filled with accountable government officials, where all forms of oppressions and injustice are things of the past. How do you expect me, as a part of the future of this country, to still believe in a country that thinks it has the right, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to freeze my account for no just cause?
This is not fair. But we will make it fair. Otherwise, there is no future for my generation and the generations to come.
Credit: Rinu Oduala, PT