Thursday, October 15, 2020 / 08:47AM / By Ahmed
Olayinka Sule, CFA* / Header Image Credit: Samuel Olubiyo/Legit
The
ongoing #EndSars protest taking
place in Nigeria is a watershed moment in the quest for genuine change. To
recap, in 1992, the Nigerian government set up the Special Anti-Robbery Squad
(SARS) as a branch of the Nigerian Police with the remit of tackling armed
robbery, kidnapping and other firearms crime. However, in recent years, some
SARS members have been involved in extortion, rape, torture and extra-judicial
killings of innocent Nigerians. Most of the victims of this abuse of power have
been the Nigerian youths. Amnesty International documented 82 cases
of extortion, torture and ill treatment by the SARS between January 2017 and
May 2020.
In
response to the crimes against humanity perpetrated by SARS, the Nigerian
youths formed the #EndSars protest movement around 2017 as an online movement
with the key aim of abolishing the SARS unit. Over the cause of time, it gained
momentum, which saw Nigerians marching on the streets and putting pressure on
government officials. Despite the activism, the government did little to
address the SARS overreach.
Things,
however, reached a head early October when a video showing a SARS official
killing a man went viral. The murder led to a nationwide protest, which gained
global attention resulting in the Federal Government disbanding the SARS unit. Even though the
jury is still out as to whether the government is serious about its intention
to end police brutality in Nigeria, the #EndSars protest movement could serve
as a template for bringing about real change in Nigeria.
In
his recently released Netflix documentary series titled Journey of an African Colony, Olasupo Shasore
explored the untold stories that paved Nigeria's road to independence. A key
revelation from the documentary was that contrary to the general perception
that a group of nationalist political elites ushered independence, many unsung
heroes made independence possible. The unsung heroes comprised of market women
in Aba and Lagos, coal miners in Enugu, railway workers, trade unionists,
students, journalists and the masses of Nigerians fed up with the colonial
rule. Transformational change is long overdue in Nigeria, however, for this to
be a reality, it would have to be in the form of a bottom-up led movement
championed by the Nigerian youth rather than politicians, technocrats,
celebrities and the billionaire class.
Nigeria
is an amalgamation of two countries - one auspicious and the other
inauspicious. The auspicious part of the land is inhabited by the influential
few that are of the school of thought that Nigeria has never been better.
Residents in this part of the country, see Nigeria as heaven on earth.
Non-Nigerians could be deceived into believing this narrative of the country
especially if their information sources come from tweets posted by government
propagandists, pronouncements from government officials, Instagram postings of
celebrities, drone images of highbrow areas like Banana Islands, Eko Atlantic,
Maitama and Jabi, Forbes articles and interviews from captains of industry. In
contrast, the inauspicious side of the country is home to the majority of the
population. For them, Nigeria is hell on earth characterised by poverty,
sorrow, tears and blood.
Ever
since independence, Nigerians have been victims of bad governance, and we are
now tired. What previous generations of Nigerians took in their strides is now
being rejected by today's youths. In the past decade, there have been three
"hashtag" social movements which have shaken the political elites to
the core namely the 2012 #OccupyNigeria movement
against fuel subsidy removal, the 2019 #RevolutionNow movement against
bad governance and now the 2020 #EndSars movement against police brutality.
Just as the media played a crucial role in mobilising Nigerians against
colonial rule, social media is being used by Nigerians to advocate for change.
According
to the National Bureau of Statistics, youth unemployment was 34.9% during
the second quarter of 2020. Those who are lucky to get jobs are grossly
underemployed. As the #EndSars protest reveals, youths are also on the
receiving end of police brutality. Despite facing these headwinds, which are
not of their own making, the youths are accused by the older generation of
being lazy, criminally-minded and lacking in ambition. They are told to pull
themselves up by their bootstraps in a country, which has been described by
commentators as the poverty capital of the world where the combined wealth of
the five richest Nigerians could end, extreme poverty. It should, therefore be
no surprise that the Nigerian youths are fed up.
The
#EndSars campaign demonstrates what is possible when we put aside our
differences and unite. Nigeria is a melting pot of different religions and
ethnicities. For too long, the elites have used our differences to hold onto
power and keep the country in bondage while enriching themselves. When the
elites gather to share the spoils, we see Muslims, Christians, Igbo's,
Yoruba's, Hausa's and Ijaws all in the mix. This time around young Nigerians of
different creeds united for a common cause. From Lagos to Abuja to Imo to
London to Delta, they straightened their backs to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH because
as Martin Luther King put it, a man can't ride on your back unless it is bent.
It is refreshing to see the Nigerian masses unite under the banner of justice.
Lasting
change in Nigeria will not come from a top-down political process but a
bottom-up grassroots movement. Since the emergence of the Fourth Republic in
1999, millions of Nigerians have put their faith in the democratic process
expecting improvements to their lives. Every four years, we engage in a
democratic experiment to elect our leaders. After the election, we rejoice as
we see our candidates assume political office only for our hopes to be dashed a
few months later. The political class has forgotten that it was put into power to
serve the people. Instead, it sees itself as masters of the people. Voting has
its place in the democratic process, but for how long will we continue to see
our hopes dashed every four years? We should transition from what Howard Zinn,
the political scientist calls a spectator democracy to real democracy where the
future does not depend on who will be the next president, governor or local
government chairman. As Zinn put it, "Voting is easy and marginally
useful, but it is a poor substitute for democracy, which requires direct action
by concerned citizens."
A bottom-up
grassroots movement like the #EndSars movement is the best medium to articulate
the yearnings of the masses since the political elites have consistently
forgotten who they represent once they get into office. As the Nigerian
government continues to genuflect at the altar of neoliberalism, it has
convinced itself that change will come from the top via social investing, state
capture, monopoly, tax breaks and the benevolence of deep-pocketed
philanthrocapitalists.
Change
movements in the future should be tactical in its engagement with celebrities.
For too long, celebrities comprising of musicians, Nollywood actors and
actresses and Big Brother Winners have taken the path of least resistance by
keeping silent even though their fans have been suffering under the full weight
of "Nigerianism". There is an incestuous relationship between
Nigerian celebrities and the political and corporate elites whereby corporate
bodies have used celebrities as attention merchants to harvest the attention of
the Nigerian masses. These celebrity brand ambassadors then resell our
attention to their corporate benefactors. Some celebrities have given the
political class a veneer of legitimacy in return for securing appointments as
special advisers.
After
the video of the police killing a man went viral in October 2020, Nigerians
took to social media to call out celebrities and other people and organisations
of influence to speak out. With celebrities facing a barrage of tweets,
retweets, likes and comments hitting their Twitter timelines, they were left
with no choice than to speak out. DJ Cuppy, the daughter of Femi Otedola, one
of the richest men in Nigeria apologised to Nigerians for her silence amid
injustice writing, "Going
against the advice of those around me, but it doesn't feel right. Silence can
say so much. My fellow Nigerians, forgive me for taking so long to comment."
Other celebrities like Adesuwa Etomi, Runtown, Falz and Tiwa Savage are now
speaking up. When concerned citizens make the right noise, these celebrities
will have to side with the masses or experience a dent to their cherished brand
reputation. Future campaigns for change should follow the #EndSars blueprint by
using celebrities as a means to an end rather than as an end to a means.
Recent
events show that social media can play a critical role in ushering a new dawn
for Nigerians. Some are dismissive of the role of social media in bringing
about social justice. The argument that social media does not matter has been
turned on its head. A hashtag is more than a hashtag. Even though we are in a
democracy, repression of dissent is still a way of life under the current
administration. Social media can help spread the cries of Nigerians to the
furthest parts of the world. It can also showcase the injustices taking place
in Nigeria before a global audience. When the government realised #EndSars had
gone viral and was trending in different parts of the world, it was forced to
listen.
The
antics of SARS strike a chord with me. In the late 1990s, while driving around
Ikeja at night, two members of SARS along a lonely road stopped me. When they
searched my car and saw the cash, which I had withdrawn from the bank, they
left me with two choices - keep my money and probably be shot or handover with
my cash and remain alive - no prizes for guessing which option I took.
Having
made their voices heard by all, the Federal Government should now take the
Nigerian youths seriously. It is refreshing to know that the revolutionary
spirit that was prevalent during the post-independence struggle and the June 12
agitation is alive and well. The #EndSars movement should be used as a
blueprint in calling the 1% to account and transforming the country towards an
equal society. However, we need to bear in mind that change takes time. There
will be difficult days, months and if possible, years ahead. There will be
setbacks, U-turns and unfulfilled promises. Before Nigeria is transformed, some
will be mocked for speaking up, some will be beaten, some will be arrested, and
some may face physical death. In spite of this, we should not give up. Brighter
days are ahead. When the history books are written in future, someone will
write, "There was a generation of young Nigerians who were beaten and
bruised for years. They got fed up with the oppression in the land, stood up,
mobilised with their phones and triggered a revolutionary fire that turned the
Nigerian nightmare into a Nigerian paradise."
Naija
No Dey Carry Last. Selah!
About the Author
Ahmed Olayinka Sule is a CFA Charterholder,
photojournalist and social critic. He is an Alumnus of the University of Arts,
London; where he obtained a Certificate in Photojournalism. He has worked on
various photojournalism projects including Obama: The Impact, Jesus
Christ: The Impact, The Williams Sisters etc. He can be contacted via
e-mail at suleaos@gmail.com and
via Twitter @Alatenumo
Previous Articles by The Author
Related to Nigeria Police:
1.
PDF: Establishment, Composition and
Training of Nigeria Police SWAT To Replace the Disbanded SARS
2.
SARS and The
Youth Revolt - Olusegun Adeniyi, Thisday, October
15, 2020
3.
Appeal court
declares Police Act 2020 illegal, nullifies constable recruitment - Punch, October 14, 2020
4.
A Nigerian
internet or social media shutdown? What to know and do - TechCabal, October 14, 2020
5.
Presidential
Panel on Police Reforms Swings Into Action, Okays 5-Point Demand of Protesters - State House, Proshare, October 13, 2020
6.
#EndSARS: Almost
a Nigerian Revolution - Reuben Abati, Proshare, October
13, 2020
7.
VIDEO: #EndSARS:
President Buhari Reaffirms Disbandment of FSARS, Assures Nigerians of Police
Reforms - WebTV, October 12, 2020
8.
#EndSARS: IGP Orders Immediate Dissolution of
FSARS Formation Nationwide - Proshare, October 11, 2020
9. Download PDF: Order and
Directives - Restrictions on The Operations of Federal Special Anti-Robbery
Squad - Proshare, October 11, 2020
10. VIDEO: #EndSARS:The
Quest For Reforms And Effective Policing In Nigeria - WebTV, October 10, 2020
11. President Buhari
Signs the Nigeria Police Bill 2020 into Law - Proshare, September 17, 2020
12. PDF: Nigeria Police
Force (Establishment) Bill 2020
13. The Kolade Johnson Killing: #ENDSARS
#ReformPoliceNG Group Calls for Signing of Police Reform Bill - Proshare, April 05, 2019
14. VIDEO: Kolade Johnson Killing:
#ENDSARS #ReformPoliceNG Group Call for Signing of Police Reform Bill - WebTV, April 05, 2019
15. NBS Publishes
2019 Corruption in Nigeria Survey Report - Proshare, December 06, 2019
16. 134,663 Crime
Cases Were Reported in 2017 - NBS - Proshare, June 26, 2018
17. National
Corruption Survey: Corruption in Nigeria - Bribery as Experienced by the
Population - Proshare, August 16, 2017
18. Ag. President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo Orders
Overhaul of SARS Wing of Nigeria Police
19. FGN and Governors Ready to Decentralise Policing
In Nigeria; State Policing Not Resolved
20. Beyond Politics - A Government Within A
Government Has Always Existed
21. National Human Rights Commission Begins Audit of
Police Detention Cells in Nigeria
22. PDF: Police Affairs /
Budgets
23. PDF: Police
Formations & Commands / Budgets
24. Public Order, Safety and Crime Statistics
25. PHCN, Police
Most Corrupt in Nigeria, By ICPC - Proshare, June 29, 2006