Weekend Arena - The Shocking Nigerian Narrative Threatening To Drown The Voice Of The Youths...

No Sane Man Kills Someone He Will Contribute to His Burial Expenses!!!!

It has been a blood-soaked week across Nigeria. Innocent citizens have once again been used as atonement for an inefficient system, which by dint of collective political will can be re-tooled, restructured for the good of everyone. How many more of these carnages will it take for this to happen?

Last week, everyone was full of praises for the youths over the orderly manner they had been conducting themselves in pursuing the #EndSARS protests across the country. Everyone also agreed that it was a genuine cause, which was why across the world support came in terms of funds and celebrity-endorsements. From Rihanna, Beyonce to sporting stars like Ozil, everyone was sharing the hashtag.


On Tuesday, 20-10-20, something disastrous happened, with some of the youths reportedly mowed down by state forces. With the condemnation this ugly incident attracted, one did not need to be a soothsayer to predict that it would trigger a crisis. It did result in an implosion, which all of us will in one way or the other pay for. So many atrocities have been committed under the guise of anger, but it is reasonable to believe that none of these acts of violence unleashed on the system came from the original #EndSARS protesters. 

This kind of destructive response was not what endeared them to fellow Nigerians and the world. The youths who usually would clean their litters at the end of every day of protest could not have set buildings and other infrastructures on fire, unmindful of the fact that such facilities, employed a number of them. These youths, who were protesting for justice, could not have done the ironical, by attacking the prisons to free inmates.


It was obvious that a third leg, stepped in with very caustic agenda to rip the country apart. From their actions, it was obvious that their sinister ploy, included causing disaffection amongst the protesters, albeit Nigerians, who for once, united to redeem the country. That was why all over the social media, tribal sentiments mounted as blames were traded about who was responsible for what.


From Lagos to Benin, to Abuja, Enugu, Anambra and some spots in the north, it was carnage; but these people would have paused to reason that nobody is encouraged to ‘kill someone he would be asked to contribute towards his burial expenses’. It is like the proverbial ‘trading of one’s dog for a monkey’. In Lagos, where yellow buses run an organised ring of extortion in the name of transport fares, BRT buses, bought by the government were burnt at Oyingbo and Berger areas. The implication is that when the dust settles, citizens living in those areas would have to pay more to make their trips since the BRT fleet has been depleted by this misplaced anger and mischief. The rich will not pay the price; it is still the poor.

In the Surulere area, the skirmishes resulted in the looting of malls, supermarkets, phone shops and the likes, unmindful that those businesses are privately-owned and could be running on loans. Equally worrisome was the idea of painting every man in uniform with the same brush. SARS operatives may have erred and committed some heinous atrocities, but I can bet that some of them still work with milk of human kindness and conscience. So the rat race in the name of attacking security men, especially the police was unnecessary and could not have been done by the youths that gave us so much hope and earned our respect when the protest started. 

The stories coming from these scenarios in this digital age of social media may have found their way into far-flung locations and would diminish everyone’s business integrity as a Nigerian.

While we pray for the sweet repose of these souls, it is pertinent to urge the government of Nigeria to urgently wake up to her responsibilities. The government should realise that it exists for its citizens. You cannot have this army of unemployed youths roaming the streets and keep living in denial that the government is performing optimally. 

The youths are frustrated. They feel hopeless and are venting their anger on whatever represents the government around them. Although the President has offered a belated speech, he could go a step further by initiating moves that will unite Nigerians more and bring prosperity to the nation. That move, remains a restructured Nigeria, where regions will grow and develop at their pace. With that, Nigerians will live in relative harmony.

*I am too numb to add anything else Ngozi,I feel hopeless at this point..