THE LABORS OF OUR CURRENT HEROES WILL NEVER BE IN VAIN

I am not okay; it is impossible to be. I have been sitting in front of my computer the last few hours wondering how I can begin my Managerial Accounting homework. But I can’t, I can’t draw my eyes away from my WhatsApp messages long enough to read my “case study.” I can’t stop asking, “How are you?” and saying, “Please stay safe.” My mind, my heart and my soul is with my family: “My dad currently sequestered in a guest house in Kano, my elder brother at the fore-front of the #EndSARS protests in Kubwa, Abuja and my mum, sister and younger brother all holed up at home praying for the safety of my brother and my father. Every feeling points to the failure of our leaders, our systems and the country.

5 years ago (December 17th, 2015), I returned to Nigeria for the first time in 3 years to visit my family. My father and my older brother were at the airport to pick me up, I was overjoyed, elated and all I wanted to do was get home and see my mother and other siblings. Not 10 miles from the airport, we get stopped by armed police officers for no clear reason. I had not been in the country for up to an hour and I was reminded of the pervasive disregard the broken policing system in Nigeria had on its citizens. These policemen said they were deployed to prevent armed robberies that have been reported in the area and the SUV we were driving was typically used by said robbers. My dad being older and mature insisted that he is with his sons and all we want to do is be reunited with our family. The officers then proceed to ask us for a bribe, “to reinforce them for the work they are doing to keep us safe.” Naturally, my father who is opposed to engaging in any sort illegal activity vehemently refused and consequently we were asked down from our vehicle. They proceed to berate my father and threaten us, telling us that the protect us and we refuse to reward them. For hours, we are stuck on the side of the road being insulted, harassed, and maligned. I remember my mother calling pleading with my dad to prioritize coming back home with her children so we can spend Christmas together as a family. Not being in Nigeria for some time, I was shell-shocked at the callousness and deplorability of their actions. Fortunately, I was able to make it back home after 4 hours. Within that time, so many thoughts ran through my mind: my life being cut short, my family losing a provider, my brother’s and I’s “bright future,” all of that could have been lost that night.

And while we were fortunate, hundreds and thousands of Nigerian families have been faced with similar situations and suffered losses of their loved ones and irreparable damage to their person and psyche. After years of pain and trauma of being profiled, harassed, maligned, and subverted. Nigerians, led by the youths have risen with their voices crying in unison saying: “END POLICE BRUTALITY.” And with all the platforms and facets available: #ENDSARS and #ENDPOLICEBRUTALITY is at the fore front of the minds of every Nigerian. Amid one of the important crusades of my generation, the Nigerian Government earlier today has chosen to respond to the call for accountability and change with their regular trademark. In the words of the legendary Fela Kuti: “Sorrow, Tears and Blood.”

Young people were gunned down today for daring to dream of a country that works for them, daring to hope for a future that should be within their grasp and daring to fight for an end to generations of negligence, suffering and distress.

I am not okay; it is impossible to be. It is impossible to ignore the crippling fear for the safety of not just my family, but the young people fighting the battle for the soul of Nigeria. It is impossible not to cry while I watch videos of young Nigerians whose bright futures are being stolen from them. It is impossible to not feel the crippling weight of responsibility to build a better future for Nigeria, one with better systems, structures, and opportunities so the generations after us do not feel this way.