Anger, rage,haplessness, hopelessness, sadness, sorrow, frustration, fear tiredness…
The emotions are legion as our problems are legion.
Corruption, nepotism, mismanagement, economic sabotage, starvation, poverty, cruelty, war, police brutality, poor health care, insecurity…
The #EndSARs protest was peaceful and organized and without incident for close to 2 weeks. Many celebrities and public figures identified with the movement at home and abroad. In UK, US, SA, even as far as Australia. Govt heard their cries and disbanded SARS and began to look at/work on the 5 for 5 demands of the protesters. However Govt replaced SARS with SWAT which wasn’t a popular or good idea from the reaction of many on social media and on the streets. Day 12, 13 and 14 hoodlums and miscreants began to harass peaceful protesters. A curfew was imposed in some states. Edo and Lagos in particular. Edo after a suspiciously embarrassing prison break and Lagos after hoodlums started blocking roads and harassing innocent citizens. Tuesday October 20, 2020. Curfew announced for 4pm and later 9pm. Soldiers commenced operation crocodile smile as earlier announce by Military Image Maker. Same soldiers as claimed by eyewitness accounts opened fire on protest ers at the Lekki Toll Gate (until that point the most peaceful site of the protest).
There were contradictory reports and accounts on what really happened at the Lekki Toll Gate that night Tuesday 20/10/2020. The military denied it outrightly and waved it off as fake news and photoshop. DJ Switch and other witnesses claimed a dozen or more people were shot or died. At a time the figure 78 (later disputed by Authorities) was brandished as the number killed. The Lagos State Governor claim only one person died. A few first responders and doctors claimed scores were treated for various gunshot wounds. There were accounts of soldiers taking bodies or the wounded away.
Eye witness (Innocent Ideh) account of 20/10/20. Interview with @chudeity on IG. Full interview on YouTube @YNaija. https://youtu.be/fHXPv7ux6NE
Whatever occurred at Lekki Toll Gate, it was the last straw that broke the camels back. People were enraged and livid. From Nigeria to UK and US and back home. Marauding youth started a campaign of looting and destruction in Lagos. Shopping Malls and Govt Offices were attacked. The Oba of Lagos Palace was not spared. Videos of Youths were seen making away with his staff of office (Opa Oba) and royal shoes.
Subsequently, warehouses became the target of looting all over the Nation. Lagos, Calabar, Jos, Yola, Benin, Abuja, Ibadan… The hunt was on for ware houses stocked with Covid 19 palliative. Which interestingly remained unshared 4-6 months after the lockdown. Who is fooling who?
The destruction has been pegged at hundreds of billions even a trillion for Lagos State alone, exclusiveof other states. All to be offset with taxpayers money. Not insurance or private funds. So violence and destruction has never been a way forward. The pain of rebuilding is collectively felt. Lost lives, unlike some property, can never be replaced or restored. The only civil and viable option for change is to persecute a revolution at the election polls. By voting the right people into office and holding leaders accountable as employees of taxpaying citizens. The first step is to stop the looting and destruction and obtain your PVCs – Permanent Voters Card. The second step is to spread the word. Tell 3x friends and family members. #EndSARS has revealed a lot of truths and facts about our great nation. One critical truth is that the power and capacity for change lies in the hands of each and everyone of us.
Beyond the looting and protest. Nigerians like most Africans are tired of the poverty, hunger, disease underdevelopment and bad leadership that has remained their reality for decades after the colonial experience. The people are clamoring for change. The youths are the foot soldiers, the new change agents/champions and #EndSARS is the catalyst.
I do not claim to know what is going to happen next or how things are going to play out but as one of the #endsars protesters eloquently put it, “Our tired is tired!” These are indeed interesting and nebulous times.
DrAlexanderGrey 