MONSTERS THEY MADE
Nigeria is at the brink of massive change which will affect all spheres of human life and the youths have demonstrated that. The dynamic of our existence has been one characterized by a ruler-servant relationship where the ruler severe citizens by their jugular. This has often been the case with Nigeria as we have not had anything close to the ideals of democracy since 1999. It has just been a circus of shame where we rotate the same sets of leaders.
The social media space has been inundated with various tales of an uproar that rose out of a continuous plea for betterment. Not only has the government failed in the delivery of good leadership to citizens in form of employment, good infrastructure, an atmosphere to survive, wealth creation, etc. they have demonstrated their lacklustre attitude to protecting the fundamental human rights of citizens especially the youths. In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) by the United Nations which documents vital common standard of achievements for all people and all nations, article 3 clearly emphasizes that “everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person. This has been the agitation of youths over the years while the government moved on as if they were not concerned.
Much more than all these, there are vital lessons to learn from these waves of protest. Democracy in its simplicity is a civilizing activity that must repose power in people. It is a system of governance by the people through a majority decision. People at all time and clime must be the determinant. The time has come where the consciousness to alter the status quo has been driven into the youth bulk. These things are not lofty ideals to achieve. The resources are there for prosperity for all but the few entitled elites prefer to circulate it among themselves. The numbers that turned up for the protest are a statistic that represents the failure of the nation but we will address that later.
Nigerians youths have not made agitation for employment, for infrastructures, for economic prosperity, they only want to live and they have demonstrated that. If a tiny fragment of our pain is felt across the nation at this pace, imagine when there are calls for other concerns. You can’t dehumanize people for long, and they won't fight back one day. The youths of this country did not experience the good old days of Nigeria. The days when our elders ate with full chicken at their halls of residence and before graduation, there are jobs waiting for them. The youths provide their own job, do what the government ought to do and elements of the state are killing them.
Victor Hugo opined that no force on earth can stop an idea whose time has come. This is the case with Nigerian Youths. If the older generation won`t do anything to wrest power from these rulers, the youths are changing the narrative. This recent protest is a huge testament to that. Never seen a movement so organic as that. No coercion, no leaders, no hijackers, youths demonstrated commitment to a good cause. More than 25million was raised in a quick time, lawyers rendered prompt service in the release of arrested protesters, ambulances were stationed across protest grounds, food and snacks were provided for all, protest grounds were kept clean after, no class, no race, no colour, one voice. This is how leadership should be where by concerted effort, a common goal would be achieved.
I am not square with violence and the protest has been peaceful. The youths are rewriting the course of history and we will forever remember this moment. When a government betrays the trust that brought it into being, when it violates the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and when it is not responsive to redress of grievances, the citizens have a right to revolt.
We don’t rest until the son of nobody becomes somebody without knowing anybody. May God bless Nigeria.