Global Identity and The Nigerian Situation

#endsars#, #endpolicebrutality#, #endbagdoovernance#, #endcorruption#

At a time when Nigerian citizens are brutalized and mishandled by the same men of the armed forces who should protect them, questions begin to arise in the mind of an observer in the right state of mind: Are these armed men not Nigerians too? Do they not feel what other Nigerians feel? What have they been offered that they behave like puppets in the hands of the puppeteer?

Unyielding to pressure from the government, Nigerian youths have continued to protest on the streets, calling for the reformation of Nigeria. Flags have been hoisted; minds set towards the achievement of reformation. The questions do not end there because more is noticed from a general perspective.

For several weeks, protests have been going on day after day, one city to another, and the social media has been ablaze with the gruesome posts of most Nigerians, showing the world the current situation the country has found itself. However, there seems to be little or no international reaction. Are other countries of the world blind or perhaps Nigeria is shut off from the rest of the world, such that no one can reach out. The situation cannot be understood.

Global Identity

Global Identity is the recognition that we all are one and we are same, not considering barriers of race, religion, country and so on. It teaches that there should be a concern of one for all. The natural disaster in a faraway country should also be my concern because it affects humanity-me.

The trend in contemporary society is such that people aren’t interested until it touches their own country, family, friends or themselves. When the news is read on a bomb explosion or earthquake that claimed lives in a distant country, people stare at the news and all they see are numbers, no more than that. The thousands and millions of lives that are lost don’t really matter to anyone except it affects them directly.

This is the problem of contemporary society and that which it has refused to recognize. Speaking of the eradication of racism, poverty and upholding of human rights in a world where there is emphasized difference between one part of the world and another. The interconnectivity of human beings, countries and the whole universe is something the world is yet to come to terms with.

“Nigeria-Blind ”

Wouldn’t it make more sense if we explain the current situation in Nigeria using the words above? Perhaps, every other country in the world is “Nigeria-blind” and cannot see whatever is taking place here. Perhaps the social media and sites used by Nigerians are totally hidden from the rest of the world.

The explanation has to be in line with any of these, otherwise, there is a problem somewhere. Despite the outcry of Nigerians, they have been paid little or no attention. They are left to continue protests, receiving beatings in the process, getting massacred like cows in a slaughter and expected to suddenly keep quiet.

Not long ago, there was a mass protest for one George Floyd from the USA who was murdered. This protest took over the entire news channels for weeks and became the talk of the whole world including Nigerians.

However, at this point in Nigeria, so many lives have been lost in the process of clamouring for justice and respect for human rights. However, the news is only aired by local news channels and partial display by international news channels. This sends a wrong message over and over again and over again. This is obviously the time to speak up for Nigerians who have taken up the courage to say NO to evil.

These citizens have taken their time to organize protests with the aim of reaching out to the whole world, sent messages across through the different social media platform and have also taken risks to gather clips which prove everything for which they have begun the protests. For how long will international bodies keep mute and what reason(s) can justify the silence/neglect?

Memory Lane

Contemporary Nigerians attest to the fact that the effects of war are still immanent and daily affecting Nigerians. Beginning from the political sectors which have been in shambles even from the point of her independence, Nigerians have suffered greatly in the hands of individuals who abuse power/wealth and have no respect for the human rights of others.

In the minds of Nigerians, these protests have been going on and its retention can be regarded as one of the hardest for any citizen to do because new ways of oppression come up every day. The last straw that broke the camel’s back is the plea by the Nigerian youths to end a squad of the Nigerian police force named SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad), whose officers have used their tasks as a means of making money through illegal means, harassing young men and women, conducting searches and arresting persons without a warrant.

Their activities lately have led to the killing of so many people and the citizens of Nigeria could keep quiet no more. The SARS team is also known to release bullets carelessly while chasing supposed criminals, and in the process causing fatal accidents or killing innocent citizens with a stray bullet. The plea started with the youths sharing videos of recorded killings of fellow youth and pleading with the government to dissolve the group making such unprofessional moves.

All pleas fell on deaf ears as the ugly incidents continued and increased all over the country. This is then the origin of the protests on #endsars# which continue till this day after the government refused to dissolve the team. The citizens of Nigeria have continued to protest after the government made attempts to rename the team and let them continue their work.

As the protests got intense, the protests which initially started as #endsars#endpolicebrutality# protests, now developed into so much more; #endcorruption#, #endbadgovernance# and so many other hashtags which explain the bitter situation of the country.

The consistency in protests and massive turnups show an unrelenting spirit by Nigerians who are not ready to give up. So many citizens are seeing this as an opportunity to bring about the revolution which the citizens have desired for so long.

This insistence on protests has led to the unfolding of several ugly situations in different parts of the country too. Protesters have been attacked by armed men and massacres recorded. Reports say that the armed men have been given the ultimatum to shoot protesters on sight.

All these and many more are situations seeking for genuine intervention. The current #endsars protests can be viewed as an avenue for Nigerians to let the world hear their cry of renewal. Surely, these protests are not borne out spontaneous reaction to the SARS situation.

Despite being aggravated by recent happenings, the protests have been groomed and cultivated over time in the hearts of all Nigerians because none of her citizens has ever been satisfied with the general situation of the country.

This may be the only hope of the Nigerian citizens because if the leaders succeed in shutting them up through brutal force, then they are damned to return to their ugly situations and even worse.