We can no longer continue with a process that is fraudulent and benefits a handful few; we can no longer continue to show our youths the short end of the stick; we can no longer continue with divisiveness; we can no longer continue with a contagious system and environment that is fraudulent and pointing to the wrong direction.
October 20, 2020, represent a day of deadly repression, mindless brutality and a sad remainder of inhumanity and the massacre of the flag waving Patriots. It was a day never to be forgotten. A day of horror; a blood stain on the white color of our beloved national flag. Through skewed and deceptive method, our beloved nation is governed by brute force and many of the oppressed citizens have been brainwashed, hoodwinked, mentally-controlled and are bereft of the capacity, and proactive capacity; to work out their personal freedom; to work out their personal salvation, in a principled way. 10-20-2020, represent such an ungodly and a watershed, in the annals of history.
Before the events culminating in the sad episode of 10-20-2020. Many of our compatriots, particularly the restive youths in their large number, who hitherto are incapable of independent creative thinking, courageous mindset or thinking outside the box. The youths of our beloved country Nigeria spring a surprise and then became more restive and resolute about the need for a change from the past to a new beginning. Issues ranging from; poor leadership, infrastructural decay and near total system collapse was the main thing that birthed #EndSars. The system, environment and the political actors has successfully pigeon hole many of our dear citizens, particularly, the youths who had the misfortune of being described as “Lazy youths”. The issue of police brutality was just the catalyst.
Change isn’t something you can pull out easily. It’s hard to accept, especially when you are so attached to the things that had happened in a system that was programmed to protect the strong against the weak, you will slowly realize that it’s worth fighting for, when you are confronted with the reality and the evidence of the vulnerability of the hapless citizens. Nearly a year after, it has been a tales of woe; nothing has changed significantly, the system and the actors have continued in their old ways. This is the unfortunate aspect of the whole thing, about the #EndSars Saga. Sad and unacceptable.
It is note worthy, that we will be addressing our minds to the issue of cognitive dissonance to the Mind Restructuring advocacy, as we remember the martyrs our patriots, who fall to the hot bullets fired from the weapons of the Nigerian military, while singing the national anthem and waving the green-white-green national flag that was later drenched with the blood of our patriots. Very unfortunate and sad moment that calls for sobriety. It is sad, that our beloved country Nigeria is heavily polarized along ethnic and religious lines, it may be part of the reasons why the North and South are unable to objectively reason in the same direction, and it was so obvious during the #EndSars. Our fault-lines have continued in the downward spiral..it has widened so much so, that we no longer see the beauty of oneness as an entity.
As of today, our beloved country Nigeria is no longer the “One nation, one Nigeria” as popularized the the party slogan for the general election of 1979, that produced President Shehu Shagari; the “No victor, no vanguesh” slogan for unification immediately after the civil war in 1970 by General Yakubu Gowon. We are back to the pre civil war era full of discontent and separatist agitations. It is sad and unfortunate that the present political actors and their supporters club are oblivious of the verdict of history, verdict of posterity and judgement of God, as our beloved country Nigeria continue to drift away from its past glory, and turning into a sleeping giant.
Flowing from the aforementioned, it has become absolutely important for us as a nation at crossroads, to begin to re-trace our steps. It is a perfect time to call a spade with no other names, that its own real name. We must as a necessity reach out to our noble fathers, statesmen, leaders of faith and traditional rulers to please intervene on behalf of millions of our citizens and engage the present political actors for a change of mind and begin to put things right with a mindset of selflessness. We can no longer continue with a process that is fraudulent and benefits a handful few; we can no longer continue to show our youths the short end of the stick; we can no longer continue with divisiveness; we can no longer continue with a contagious system and environment that is fraudulent and pointing to the wrong direction.
Conclusively, permit me to say that; 10-20-2020 has become a watershed that separate the past from the future; it signposted a new era different from the past misadventures; it is a new beginning and the blood of our martyrs wet and sow the seed of freedom. The labour of our hero past will not go in vain. It’s a new day.
NIGERIA WILL RISE AGAIN…. ARISE ‘O COMPATRIOTS.
Richard Odusanya
Social Reform Crusader and the convener of AFRICA COVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE ACRI.
