Reflections on life two years after the #endSARS protests
It’s the second anniversary of the #EndSARS protests. Two years since many Nigerian youths got up and showed up to support a cause they believed in and considered important enough to damn all consequences for. What started as a protest against police brutality, and quickly turned into a protest against everything that young people felt was wrong with this country.
For the first time, many young people who had felt helpless took a stand for their beliefs. They came out and demonstrated at the various protest grounds nationwide: they gave speeches, posted tweets and memes, and wrote and sang songs. Finally, for the first time, they didn’t feel so helpless and their continued presence at protests convinced them that they indeed had a voice.
I remember the first time I went to the Lekki Toll Gate during the protests: I couldn’t believe my eyes. The whole stretch of road from the Mobil Headquarters to the Lekki phase 1 roundabout had been turned into one huge protest field. People were handing out food and drinks to people in orderly queues while some others complained that they had already had too much to eat. Some people had set up barbeque and ice cream stands, skateboarding areas, bike shows, and dancing spots. And there was the main stand where the occasional celebrity or influencer would go on to address the crowd and lead people in various “call and response” chants.
Many of the people at the protest grounds had probably not been home in days. It is even likely that many came from out of town to participate in the protests: I wonder at that level of dedication and motivation. One could feel the energy in the air at the protest grounds: people gathered together for a cause they believed in or was it for the entertainment or the free food and drinks or to hang out with friends or to prove to people that they supported the cause? Whatever took people there was probably not as important as the experience they gained from participating.
Opinions on that protest: its necessity, objectives, and success or lack thereof, and the outcome after twelve unending days, are as varied as the colours of the rainbow. Even though the Lagos State Government set up a panel of inquiry to look into the events, many people still hold various opinions about the outcome of the protests even though the panel has since completed its work and presented its findings and recommendations. This is not surprising though because like all other life issues, everyone sees a different side to the same issue even when presented with facts or whatever form of information.
I wonder what type of outcomes people would have wanted. I realised that even though there appeared to be clear demands, a lot of people still had their opinions about their expectations. At the base of it all, it was clear that people expected “something different” to happen (I’m tempted to say “change” but I know many Nigerians are wary of that word!). What was that “something different” though? Did people clearly understand what they wanted? How would they know if/ when they got “something different”? And if they didn’t get “something different”, could they find “something different” in any of the outcomes?
For me, “something different” was for everyone, not just the youths, to realise that we all have a role to play in the affairs of the country. Not all of us would be active in political parties or vie for political office or be given appointments to serve as public officials. But all of us can increase our political awareness and exercise our civic responsibilities during the electoral process. Our apathy to the political process has increased over the years with decreasing levels of participation in elections even though the number of eligible voters keeps increasing.
I would say that political awareness has increased since the #EndSARS protests and many people have not just shared their thoughts online, but have also gone offline to mobilise support for their preferred political parties or ideologies. Many more people are now aware that they do have some form of power. That their small voices, when raised with other small voices, can become a concert.
As the election period has built up, more and more young people have become politically active in some way. Social media, being the main form of expression for young people, has been used to raise awareness, hold discussions, provide information, and galvanise people to support various political candidates. Many are taking a stand in ensuring that their contributions are felt during this period.
Indeed, a lot of people have already chosen their candidates, especially for the presidential elections, and they defend them vigorously. The amount of passion that people have brought to political discussions is worthy of note. It doesn’t appear to have mattered to some whether their support for their candidate has been based on clear manifestos or previous experience in politics. What matters to people is that they have chosen their candidates and they would defend them night and day.
As we count down to the general elections next year, one thing I would love for everyone to remember is the spirit of camaraderie that was evident during the #EndSARS protests. People didn’t care about political affiliation, tribe, or even religion. Everyone was focused on Nigeria and praying that she would receive the best outcome. A better Nigeria is the goal and we must not be blinded by temporary rewards as we seek the best for our collective future.
Our “something different” will not always be the same. If we can all remember that a better life is the most basic desire of every citizen, then perhaps we can all work together, despite our differences, to achieve a far better country for ourselves.
#EndSARS may have come and gone, but we still have to live with the memories of the events. We should all focus on the grand prize and not allow distractions to influence us negatively. This is the way I see things today.