♯EndSARS: The Place of Empathy in Achieving National Rebirth

It has never been more daring and courageous in the history of Nigeria that over 100 million Nigerian youths nationwide would be speaking, clamouring and requesting unanimously without any form of sentiments across ethnic, religious and cultural lines for a better country than in the year 2020 and in the very month of independence of this great nation. A nation whose color of purity is bleeding and spurs of her growth in redress and in stagnation. This is a movement not spearheaded by any known figure but by the spur of frustration, anger, contempt, and conscious realization that we have been robbed and downtrodden for far too long that our future seems to have lost the light that illumines the term “bright future” and above all empathy in brotherhood and as citizens of a nation that is fattened but yet milked by few at the peril of so many.

This is a movement not just to end police brutality in all its forms in our security and defense systems but a movement to end four, five, six years of studying a course at a tertiary institution marred with strikes and other irregularities only to have a degree of monument with no opportunity to express and grow in your field of study or career. It is a movement to end all forms of bribery, corruption, solicitation for sex for grades, victimization and undeserving failure in our various colleges, polytechnics and universities. This is a movement to end the enormous strains civil servants go through to get promoted when they are due and duly deserving and to get their pensions paid after 35 years of judicious service to the country. This is a movement to improve the living conditions of our security personnel in their various barracks and increase their remuneration (earnings). The heavens will not fall if a security officer (police) is paid 150k as a startup, the nation is capable and exceedingly blessed to do so.

This is a movement to end the continuous suppression and control of the mass media that has failed in these present times woefully to prove that they are indeed the ‘voice of the voiceless’. This is a movement to end the numerous interests rates attached to loans by financial institutions that end up killing and drowning small and micro businesses. It is a movement to end failed promises and programmes not delivered during electioneering. It is a movement to awaken youths of this great nation to end the numerous stress, hurdles and bottlenecks we go through to get our national identity cards, international passports, voter’s card, etc. This is a movement to end domestic violence and rape against women and the subjugation of the rights of the girl child.

Dear friends in solidarity, the list goes on and on and for these reasons the Nigerian youths are demanding vehemently for these reforms on the streets of States across the federation and via social media platforms. Due to this demands many have lost their lives, many have lost their jobs and businesses, many are injured and will forever bear the scars for this just and thought re-awakening cause they have chosen to die for; because there is a strong belief and conviction that Nigeria would be a great nation for their generations yet unborn.

It will be very disheartening for any Nigerian youth to think or be of the notion that their fellow youths out there participating in this divinely inspired cause with the consciousness of the imminent dangers to their lives and future as already proliferating the social media space are not responsible, sensible or consciously aware of the dangers of being a Nigerian. It is important to underline dangers of being a Nigerian. If anyone is not already aware of this consciousness by now that being a Nigerian is dangerous, and not just being a Nigerian, but being a Nigerian youth then we can hope and believe that #EndSars and #BlackTuesday have illumined that fact. However, should anyone feel that showing sincere empathy towards this noble cause of liberating and saving our future is too much to ask for, then obviously we can say wahala dey for person wey wan use bicycle travel go Jos.

Therefore, I implore and admonish everyone to be empathetic towards this cause and take cognizance of the fact that the tool to essentially carry this out is in our hands; our mobile devices. We can post, blog, tweet, upload, download and share all events in respect to this movement. Secondly, we need to pray for those genuinely protesting on the streets, pray for our country, call and check on your friends and well-wishers in various states across the nation. And if you are a Catholic pray with your rosary using this October devotion to our Mother Mary; Queen and Patroness of Nigeria to dedicate our country to her hands for intercession, book Holy Mass for friends, the protesting youths and our country Nigeria; because when it rains and the shelter is not rock solid, droplets of rain will surely undoubtedly touch each and everyone within the shelter. Please, I urge you to show empathy.