My thoughts on #ENDSARS #ReformNigeria 2020 protest. Please click here to read up, so you can join us in the fight. We move!

Hello World, this is the best time to be alive and to be proudly a Nigerian. Our Mumu don do!!! This revolution is tagged #Endsars but it is a call to also end everything that we don’t want which our parents have kept silent about before we were born! As Nigerians/Africans, we have been through so much in the hands of bad leadership and recycled government, and this October, instead of celebrating 60 years of suffering and smiling, as usual, we say enough is enough with actions to back it up!!!

Someone said, in this generation, we’d rather apologise for our wrong deeds than take excuse before we act on what is necessary. The world should take a cue from what we have done in the past 12 days and it is amazing how we created global stampede and social awareness in a peaceful organized protest while taking care of ourselves at protest grounds. For me, it is emotional and beautiful to see our youths come together in one voice beyond religious or social strata. I see how my Muslim brothers and sisters pray on the roads and our Christian folks Kabash on the move.

Before and during this protest, we have lost a lot of precious souls and my condolences to all our fallen heroes who passed on with this revolution and this is to let you know that, your deaths shall not go in vain.

Overtime, the travails of Nigeria have been through different stages of expressions including failed protests and how our change artists and musicians, often prompts us through their situational music vibes. We had Eedris Abdulkareem who sang “Nigeria jagajaga”, the legendary Fela did more than sing and African china begged the leaders to ‘lead and govern us well’... those songs are so fresh in our memories because it is still the reality we dread.

So this protest is as a result of a long-term period of suppression and oppression and even if it seems like we woke up late, it doesn’t matter because whenever you wake up to say ‘enough’! Is your morning. I am proud to say a new morning and a new era has come for Nigeria and no matter where we are home and abroad, we are a part of this fight, this struggle and together as one, we will fight and win this war against SARS, bad governance, corruption and godfatherism, police brutality, embezzlement of funds, social injustice, insecurity and poverty. Etc. This protest may have latched on #Endsars but we have also used it as an avenue to #Sorosoke for other areas of concern and to negotiate for the good things we want and deserve in our country, Nigeria.

We want our children and youths to go to school with confidence and know that they can get a job even if they know nobody. Our security and education sector needs to be upgraded. We need an Increase in the wages of the police/security officials and we need increase in salary for our Teachers too. Let the government slash the salary of politicians and senators then pump it into other sectors. We are tired of leaders who always make us feel we need to divide and then seeing their own sons and daughters get married with no ethnic bias while they play the ethnic card and make Nigerians go to war with one another during elections. We want security of lives for our youths, we are not lazy, and we are great, talented and courteous individuals with potentials. We want to be respected abroad and not seen as opportunists when we apply for a Visa, we want good roads, stable electricity... and basic amenities that makes our businesses thrive. The last time I was in Ghana, I was amazed at how light did not blink!

We want all the monies the senators and governors and even the presidency to be reduced to a meaningful wage so that we can re-Purpose the money for other important things. We are tired of seeing the government spend roughly 130k per meal (3square meals) daily in a country where most people live on $2 (N1000) per day. If this is not being heartless, I don’t know what is. We should stop borrowing too, this country begs too much, and mismanage resources. It is also not bad for the government to fund our talents and skilful ideas when we apply for a grant and we shouldn’t have to know any politician to achieve that. A lot of talented Nigerians, (doctors, engineers, creatives etc.) always have to relocate to other countries before they can find a meaningful life. Stop sending your kids abroad and abandoning our plights… No more deceits. We also want THAT palliative money NDDC cornered to be sent to each of our accounts. We have BVNs/NI Nos and with that, they can trace our accounts to credit us by contacting and accessing each bank’s manager of each branch in the country states and deposit our monies there. Also, arrangements should be made so that Election is also held online and Nigerians in diaspora can vote in a free and fair mode.

Also, the Nigerian constitution should be amended so that, no more second term in office and no more recycled leaders. If you have ruled us in 1967 or 1980, you should not have the guts to put yourself forward in 2020!!! Other developed countries have more vibrant young leaders but Africa is always plagued by recluse ancestors! I also seize this opportunity to urge my fellow Nigerians and active citizens to put themselves forward. Enough of self-sabotage and imposter syndrome that makes people who are equipped for the Job to nominate other competent but questionable people on the line, then start to speak English as consultants behind the scenes. If you know you can steer a change at any level, go for it with your full chest as you never know what you may become.

Finally, No one dares sleep under a burning roof! I believe the #endsars protest is a metaphor and a subliminal expression to end bad governance and reform the political, social and economic system in Nigeria. It is not only about ending SARS as publicized, it is also about using the protest to achieve a national progressive cause for the country. If a protest has been on in a country for close to two weeks, no one deserves to sleep with their two eyes and the government should not keep silent at this time. If the president of a country refuse to speak, there will be a controversy of theories and it will attract more anger. If the government says we should end the protest that will be on the condition that our demands must be met and rapid changes made, to correct things with immediate alacrity. Therefore, this protest should not be handled with kid gloves. Nigeria is a rich nation of Greenland, beautiful culture, great people and it is the giant of Africa. It is time to actually become who we are beyond the pens of historical books and media accolades. 

To my fellow Youths on protest grounds, know that, you are the Davids and Esthers in such a time as this. Do not be afraid of speaking up and fighting for your rights. A pandemic or a protest may cancel your plans, but it cannot cancel your purpose. I love you all so please stay safe, stay alive, cash out legitimately, foster meaningful relationships, meet your spouse, build connections and let’s continue to have a peaceful protest as we demand for our rights. When it is time for dialogue and negotiations with the government, let us yield physical protest temporarily as we continue the fight across our various social platforms until our demands are met or until, we know that they want to deceive us again. Special appreciation to all our celebrities, our passionate youths, religious leaders and organization of the world who have joined us in this protest, we are going to change the narrative one step at a time, as God help us in this fight.

My name is Pat Obilor, a Nigerian Woman who is passionate about youth inclusion, media for change, women empowerment, social entrepreneurship and global transformation. I write and speak from a place of peaceful revolution, communal pain, patriotic hope and entrepreneurial passion, to see my country move forward.

It is time to #Sorosoke as we speak up to end all we don’t want and bring to the fore, of 2021 onward, the changes we want to see and I SAY #EndSars #ourmumudondo #enoughisenough #endcorruption #endpolicebrutality #reformthesystem #endsocialinequality #endinsecurity #istandwithnigeria #Nigerialivesmatter #StandoutwithPat #patobilor #socialinfluencer #africaarise #howwemadeitinafrica