EndSARS Protests: Tasks Before Political Leaders

Nigeria recently witnessed one of the most spontaneous and widespread riots across the length and breadth of the country.

#EndSARS Protesters

The protests, although sparked off by rampant incidents of police brutalities, especially by the notorious SARS, manifests pent-up anger and hunger in the land.

There is no gainsaying that things are not going well but the prompt manner the government acceded to the demands of the youths is an indication of the willingness to wring the necessary changes and it resonate the saying that the voice of the people is the voice of God.

Beyond that, the agitations, despite its hijack by hoodlums, portends a new level of consciousness of the youths, civil society and the efficacy of people’s power and that of our government can be made to sit up and be alive to its responsibilities.

It is indeed commendable that the protestors have for the better part of the civil action conducted themselves with admirable sense of maturity, responsibility and constraint until its unfortunate hijack by those with sinister intentions who succeeded in wreaking havoc with coordinated looting, wanton vandalisms on both private and public property, which is quite regrettable.

But again, their action is the result of a monster birthed by the system and government must find a way to deal with it.

The constitutional right to peaceful protest is sacrosanct but it must not be exercised in such a way as to infringe on the democratic right of other citizens to freedom of movement, expression and the liberty to pursue their livelihoods without molestation. It, particularly, does not confer the right to destroy other peoples’ assets or take lives.

Primarily, the protest resulted from widespread incidents of tortures, extortions and harassments, intimidations and even extra judicial killings of innocent Nigerians by the now disbanded officers of SARS. Yet, it would be a grave miscalculation for the government and leaders to think that the general disaffection is all about SARS.

There is a sweeping disillusionment in the land and the protest is a manifestation of compressed anger over failure of successive administrations to make life better.

This government must move swiftly to find lasting solutions. On the other hand, the hoodlums among the protesters must end the predispositions to violence and criminal acts as this would contract what ought to be a noble cause.

The reformation of the system must be holistic starting from the attitudinal change of government and the governed.

Bogus and humongous emoluments for federal and state lawmakers, state governors and other elected officials of government must be pruned because it is an aberration for politicians to be feeding fat at the expense of the populace.

A chasm exists between the Buhari government and the people. President Buhari must end his aloofness and “I-don’t-care” attitude towards Nigerians and listen. The message from the Nigerian youths is loud and resounding – it is not going to be a business as usual for the government and politicians any longer.

Since the Nigerian government has acceded to all demands of protesting youths and also committed to its implementation, our youths should eschew violence and allow government to follow through with the implementation of these demands and also constantly and constructively engage with the government towards meeting other genuine agitations

Our country shall rise again.

Source: Nation