Tuesday, 3 November 2020

The ‘END SARS’ PROTESTS and LEKKI SHOOTINGS: The Aftermath.



By Femi Akinpelu Joseph

Few weeks ago, the very inevitable nationwide #ENDSARS protests broke out across Nigeria. And, from what appeared like a mere child’s play; the movement metamorphosed into an exercise that sparked a wild national participation – with keen interest and attention from the global community.


But just within 2 weeks into the very peaceful series of protests, the military, or the ‘forces beyond the control of Lagos state government’ “intervened” and suddenly interrupted the protests.  They aimed gunshots at the protesters – leaving scores of my fellow citizens killed and seriously wounded; at the Lekki Toll gate.


I remember saying it prayerfully when the protests began that “I hope this current series of pretests turns out a fruitful exercise at the end of the day”. I had said that prayer because I have studied, and have followed trends by which our various government administrations operate – from when I was a child. I had sensed it that they (government power merchants) may eventually turn the whole thing upside down and play out one of their regular political dirty games.

I knew it.

Though it was VERY painful to me, that the killings actually took place. Very painful! We all know the level of crises, lootings and destructions that followed that event.

Now, where do we go from here? WHAT DO WE DO NEXT??

Do you know?

If you ask me, I think I really DO NOT KNOW, too!

But what I do know is – WE ALL NEED TO CHANGE some of our ways! But who and who are those bracketed in this category of people who need to change?

Everybody!

Yes – you, me; your friends, relatives, neighbours, co-workers, and fellow church or mosque members. We all need to change our evil and wicked ways!


For us Nigerians to really experience the CHANGE or the TRANSFORMATION that we so desire; both the elderly and the young people need to go through a thorough and sustained MENTAL CLEANSING AND RESET. This is no joke at all.


From my regular private studies and observations; combined with personal experiences, I can confidently say that a much larger percentage of Nigerians – leader and follower, young and old, rich and poor, educated and uneducated ARE VERY CORRUPT! Yes, we are a corrupt, nonchalant and immoral people. And like we all know, the leaders of today were once followers, yesterday – and it is the same (corrupt) followers shouting and complaining today that would become leaders, tomorrow. Isn’t it?

So, if this is our reality, then what are we really fighting for? Just VANITY!

For this reason – and if truly, you and I wish and desire that this country and the entire Nigeria society is sanitized and filled with sane and disciplined people who possess high moral values; then let it start with YOU.

I want to substitute ‘SARS’ to attribute as many ills that I see in our society as possible. And we must end those evil traits in us before we can possibly have a healthy society to live in.

In the context of this exposition, WHO IS A SARS?

If you are one of them looters – who usually wait for something provocative to happen, so you could take advantage of the general anger, and pounce on people’s investments and cart away their property; you are a SARS.

Those of you that have been hoarding or hiding palliatives, cash or special gifts you were sent to deliver to the less-privileged people, with the plans of cashing out on them; you are a very wicked SARS!


If you have the ideology that the “End SARS” that protest that took place last month was just about some certain jobless and lazy Nigerian youths – who are just making noise and fighting for no serious cause; then you are the most wanted SARS!


If you have built yourself a reputation for owing people and not paying them (their money, service bill/charge, salary, dues, or even things borrowed) – not because you cannot afford to, but just so you could exert some power; to cause them to worship you and make them look up to you always. You a SARS.


You are part of the majority of people who believes that, you can never ‘hammer’ unless you do ‘yahoo yahoo’, join politics, become a runs girl, scam people or collect kickbacks; you are a derailed SARS.


You believe that until you use an iPhone, drive a Benz, live on the Island, join a cult, sleep around to belong, and enslave yourself mentally to people more privileged, then you are really a nobody; you are already a captured SARS!



You go to church and pray every hour and minute of every day, but when someone around you achieves something notable, you quickly become irritated and start planning their downfall, you are such a big SARS!

If you talk bad about people behind them, but when you see them – you begin to laugh with them and start showing fake respect, you are a more dangerous SARS.

You that when certain set of people greet you, you just look away and NEVER answer them; because you assume it is money, they would ask you next, you are an ignorant SARS.

 

All of you that eat snacks in your cars or in public buses, and then throws the wrappers or containers out on the road, or on the street; you are no better than SARS!


Because you are a ‘beautiful’ lady, and with a hole somewhere in your body that some men are running after – you now disrespect and look down on every man you come across, you are a SARS, soon going into an extinction.

 

The only reason you are nursing the ambition of becoming a governor, senator, or president is to also go and “chop your own portion of the national cake”, and have power to oppress others; you are a SARS too, sir. We need to end you!

 

The main reason you hustle and struggle to be rich, is so that you can “show them” and “pepper them”, and nothing more; you are an obsolete SARS.

 

You never obey traffic rules whenever you are driving – but you always derive pleasure oppressing pedestrians walking on roadsides, please, you are special SARS agent.

 

You like to always use the excuse of being ‘poor’ and ‘needy’ and then turn yourself to a beggar; you never do any meaningful work and never live a responsible life; you are a miserable SARS!

 

You never attend classes or love to be absent from office, but you ALWAYS ask your friends to sign for you and help you cover up with a lie in the office whenever your boss asks after you; hmmm, you must be under-fire SARS.

 

You see someone doing something very bad, that you know will be detrimental to the good and growth of others, but you kept quiet because you think the consequences will not directly affect you or your family – you are a despicably misplaced SARS.

 

You are very good at changing figures or inflating prices when asked to make purchases on behalf of your company or others, know today that you are a real SARS.

 

If you possess ANY of the negative attributes listed above, and many more, KNOW that you are one of our targets when we say #ENDSARS. You must REPENT and make a TURNAROUND from your evil ways. Otherwise, you will continue to pose a danger to your community and eventually destroy the society at large.  

 

The essence of this write-up is to challenge us all, individually and collectively (including myself) to THINK deeply about our wrong mentality, our daily habits and lifestyle that have been drawing us back as a people. We need to make a great effort to change them and turn on a new leaf – and it is then that we can start expecting people from amongst us to be voted into public offices; and be accountable in all their conducts and in their official assignments.

If not, nothing will change.

We ALL need to make a concerted effort at purging our society of all forms of evil and wicked – reducing wrongdoings to a very bearable minimum. Then, we can now begin to search for light at the end of every dark tunnel in our national life!

RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A NATION… BUT sin is a REPROACH to any people – Proverbs 14:34.

Thank you.

#ENDSARS #EndEveryImmorality #EndBadGovernance #FranklinAvenue #GodBlessNigeria

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