ENDSARS: THE AFTERMATH OF LEKKI KILLINGS AND THE CHANGE IT FORETELLS

 Nigeria has been its darkest since last Tuesday dawned on us with the Lekki killings which set the ball rolling for a series of gruesome events that have taken place—and are still taking place—all around the country. The youth have peacefully clamoured for a change, demanded that the government pay attention to their supplications and protested in hopes that the government would grant their request; but all their passionate pleas met a stiff resistance in the early dusk of last Tuesday when peaceful protesters, as reported by many Nigerian dailies, were rounded up and shot at by armed soldiers.  My heart broke when I saw videos and pictures on social media showing young adults who were either struggling to stay alive or slowly giving up the ghost. It pains me that some of the youth met their untimely death while 樂威壯
exercising their rights demanding a nation without systemic oppression. Sadly, the peaceful protest was hijacked by hoodlums who began to incite civil unrest around the country. And as the anger keeps simmering on both sides and security personnel keep clamping down on public demonstrations, many innocent protesters keep getting killed. This could have been avoided if the government had taken everything through due process: arrest and try the suspected perpetrators for their alleged offenses; if they are found guilty, prosecute them. This was how Jesus was tried, even though he was wrongfully convicted and executed during his time; but in this case, suspected hoodlums (destructive protesters) are executed as quickly as they are seen. No, this is not right. This ridicules the democracy which we have promoted for over two decades. For a democracy to function efficiently, we need the leader and the led bound in a cordial relationship of trust and love: The led need to trust their leaders to make good decisions for the betterment of the nation while the leaders need to—in turn—show love to the led and let them know that they have their interests at heart. Th樂威壯
ey need to understand that they are primarily there to SERVE the people and not to dictate to them. When these two essentials are upset, there is bound to be a system of anarchy and autocracy. When the two are in harmony, the nation experiences peace and prosperity. Nevertheless, the wave of change, I believe, has finally arrived: 2020 is a pivotal year for the nation’s much awaited transformation. I believe that all the innocent souls who have fallen in this struggle will forever remain martyrs of the cause because they have made the greatest sacrifice by giving up their lives for the betterment of our nation. I believe that soon enough, we will get the security, economic, political and government systems restructured the way we have yearned for over the years and lasting peace will bind us together, shutting our eyes to ethnic, religious and political differences, imbuing our hearts with love: love for our neighbours and love for our country Nigeria.