The above quote is the title of an an unfinished legacy book by foremost black American human rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., before he was assassinated in 1968.
The unfinished book centred mainly on what he described as a series of essays in which he personally addresses the status of the civil rights movement, its progress, what has held it back and what he believed would help to advance its cause. Dr. King peacefully but forcefully went all out against injustice and flouting of the rights of American blacks.
In the same fashion, recently, a youthful Nigerian group stormed the streets of Lagos and Abuja the Federal Capital Territory, armed with placards with the inscription “#EndSARSNow.” The peaceful protest won the hearts of many concerned Nigerians, including President Muhammadu Buhari, and Nigerians in diaspora. Like a wildfire, it soon spread to other states of the federation. The protest gradually brought all activities in the country to a halt. It was reminiscent of what took place in America.
Dr. King would have embraced each of the protesters in an ecstatic mood for their resilience, patriotic zeal and steadfastness, until their ranks were broken and hoodlums, miscreants and thugs took over the once peaceful protest, turning it to a lawless outing.
Before the full glare of Nigerians and the international community, hell was let loose as buses, buildings, shops and government structures were set ablaze, and an all-out brigandry, looting and destruction of properties continued inhibited. Apart from the carnage, prisons in some states were forced open for convicted and awaiting trial inmates to flee to freedom like released caged birds, while foodstuff stored in warehouses as COVID-19 palliatives in many states were carted away like a free bazaar.
More painful was the vicious attack on innocent police officers who were clubbed to death while on official duty and police stations’ armory broken into and firearms and ammunition stolen. Over 15 police stations in Lagos, Edo, Enugu and Kwara states were attacked by these vicious hoodlums who infiltrated the peaceful protest. Also, the police authorities are yet to disclose the actual number of missing firearms, smoke guns, canisters and handcuffs in the coffers of these thugs. One expects the police to immediately announce a special number for members of the public with useful information about the stolen police equipmemt, placing a bounty on such information, assuring them of secrecy. Although Dr. King’s legacy is relived in Nigeria, his intention must have been how to avert such anarchy that culminated in the frightful and hellish vengeance displayed by misguided Nigerian miscreants who robbed themselves as daylight robbers.
Where do we as a country go from here, now that we have stirred the honest’s nest?
The President in his rather delayed broadcast told the protesting youths, “Your message has reached us loud and clear.” If the message has permeated the consciousness of the Presidency, what about the politicians who were handed tonnes of palliatives and what they did was to store them away for an ulterior purpose? What about the security personnel whose brutish attitude brought this dark cloud on Nigeria?
It is impressive that the President acknowledged the demands of the #EndSARS movement and the Martin Luther King spirit of peaceful demonstration. A conquering spirit that is unwavering and tenacious in its demand for good governance. A lethal spirit that completely abhors corrup practices at any level. A friendly spirit that should engross the Nigeria Police by transforming them into a God-fearing and friendly but strict service organisation. Again, as the title of the book by Dr. King resonates, Nigerian government ought to be humble and truly listen to the complaints around the country.
Complaints about corruption among government officials, decadence of government infrastructure, bad roads, injustice at every level of governance, poor health care facilities, gross unemployment and deteriorating quality of educational facilities, while there is a growing army of poverty-stricken citizens.
A traveller who refuses to ask for a road map or directions would continue to rigmarole like a directionless driver. At 60, Nigeria ought to be a classic example of a developing country. There are many questions yet to be answered by the police, one of which is, why did the police abandon the protesters when they first convened? Were they not entitled to police protection? Observers believe that, had protection been extended to them, the thugs woud have been kept at bay. If the question is, where do we go from here, the answer should be provided by government at all levels.
Dr. King was fighting for downtrodden black Americans, whose human rights were completely infringed upon. That was the same situation meted to Nigerians who were taken for granted by their political leaders. Those in government and the security agencies undermined the ability of present-day youths. The government failed to realize that the youths of 1984 cannot be compared with the 2020 Internet-savvy youths who are very outspoken, intelligent and politically sound.
These educated youths must have painfully endured the SARS brutality and intimidation and, like a goat pushed to the wall, had no other escape route but to aggressively attack its pursuer. The attacker is the government and some security personnel and politicians.
Even as Nigerians continue to discuss and ruminate over the tragic Black Tuesday, the soothing statement of President Buhari should guide our next steps, “The choice to demonstrate peacefully is a fundamental right of citizens as enshrined in Section 40 of our Constitution and other enactments; but this right to protest also imposes on the demonstrators the responsibility to respect the rights of other citizens, and the necessity to operate within the law. I, therefore, call on our youths to discontinue the street protests and constructively engage government in finding solutions. Your voice has been heard loud and clear and we are responding.”
The youths hope that the promise from the Presidency is a blank signed cheque that is trustworthy. It is such distrust that propelled the #EndSARS agitators to hit the streets. They vividly remembered 2019 when they first embarked on their agitation on social media. The Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu had promised them a clean bill, only to rescind his decision to reform the SARS unit. The youths also remember when, in 2002, the leader of the Boko Haram, Mallam Ibrahim Yusuf, was arrested by the military and handed over to the Borno State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Dega, on trust for prosecution, only for Yusuf to be found dead while in police net. Today, the country has been plunged into an unbelievable tragedy with the destruction of billions of naira worth of properties and uncountable human lives.
As Dr. King stressed, part of the way forward is for Nigerian leaders at all levels to work hard and earn the trust of their followers in every ramification.
