By Alex Byanyiko
One of the main reasons elderly people should be respected and are associated with wisdom is that their length of days must have afforded them the opportunity of experiencing life in its diverse phases. They would have experienced some wins and some losses, made so many mistakes that leaves them armed enough to avoid same or similar mistakes now or in the future.
One of the greatest undoing of the Nigerian education, economic and political systems is the negligence of history. And that is one of the reasons Nigeria has been on a marathon circle race 60 years after her independence.
Since independence Nigeria has suffered all manner of bad governance, some narrow-minded economic policies, but Nigerians carried on in a way that earned them an unofficial status or title: ‘suffering and smiling.’ They seemed to be smiling under debilitating suffering. And, until recently, never dared to really protest against bad governance and incompetence of their political leaders in such a massive way that could attract the attention of the world. But thanks to God, there is a paradigm shift now.
Since I began studying literature, one of the most profound idiomatic expressions I have come across is ‘a worm will turn.’ It simply means that no matter how gentle a person is, a time comes that he will have no choice, but to fight back his oppressors. The recent #EndSARS protest, is a validation of this profound statement.
Going back in history, in many parts of the world, revolutions took place because the oppressed couldn’t take it any longer. And that’s human nature. A time comes when frustration leads to suicidal thoughts, which, if not taken care of, can lead to action without any regard for consequences. So, it is incredible that after the #EndSARS protest and the condemnable looting spree that engulfed most parts of the country, instead of the authorities to pursue, sincerely, the issues that led to the protest in the first place and address them, they appeared to be more concerned with “regulating” the social media, which facilitated the protest and showed to the world what a mess we found ourselves in as a country.
Is it that these crop of ‘leaders’ are so disconnected with the people they claim to be leading or what? While I do not support anyone looting what does not belong to him, is it not a destructive frustration that could lead people to such shameful actions? And what were they looting? Food, food, food that should have been given them as palliatives during the covid 19 lock down? Habah don Allah!
Then, as if that was not enough trouble for all of us, you hear intensely provocative stories of the government going after the #EndSARS protesters! Well, I want to believe that the Punch report titled, ‘FG clamps down on #EndSARS promoters, freezes accounts’ published on-line on November 4, 2020 is fake news. I simply don’t understand the logic or wisdom of such action. And, as I said on my Facebook page, I don’t believe that this government could stoop so down low as to resort to such cowardly, and barbaric game of intimidation, instead of seeking for ways to address the various issues that led to the protest in the first place.
In America sometime in the late sixties, as accounted by Nigel Hamilton in his book, ‘Bill Clinton – An American Journey’, this a a snapshot of what happened: “…Rioting almost immediately broke out in the cities and black ghettos of the nation, more than two hundred years of political, social, and economic frustration spilling over and venting in arson, riot, looting, and threatened anarchy. Beginning in the South, mayhem spread north like a forest fire. In all, more than a hundred American cities were affected, including Baltimore, Harlem, Brooklyn, Newark, New Jersey, Boston, Detroit…”
Nigerians, does this look familiar to the recent happenings in our beloved country?
History is full of references about frustrations and what it can lead to in the lives of not only the oppressed, but their oppressors. If this government think that they can attack the ‘promoters’ of #EndSARS or use ‘social media regulation’ to check Nigerians from expressing their frustrations, they surely have got another thinking coming. Instead of flexing your muscle and shouting that you must regulate the social media, focus on developing the country, building sustainable infrastructures and providing employment for your frustrated teeming youth. If you can do this, they’ll be too busy enjoying their lives than to spend their precious time on social media trying ‘to bring down your government.’ Only a mad man destroys what adds value to his life.
The government’s wild cry over the need to ‘regulate the social media’ has just further confirmed the suspicions of most Nigerians that have been kicking against these obnoxious proposed bills.
Dear Nigerian government, focus your energy on good governance, and most of your people shall be too busy about making a good life for themselves and their children to bother about expending their efforts on the social media for destructive reasons.
I can understand that, as a government, you may not be able to do these all at once or overnight, but if you can try your best, without the usual political machinations, manipulations and hypocrisy, you will have much less headache in the form of youth restlessness.
This piece is not something you haven’t heard before. It’s just a reminder that whoever neglects history, is condemned to repeating the mistakes that shall consume him. Picking up #EndSARS promoters or protesters and punishing them or even killing them will not benefit you. It will not even fortify your power. A call for good governance in Nigeria is an idea whose time has come. The next protest in Nigeria will be more effective, more coordinated, more massive and more damaging to all the negative forces in this country, if you fail to follow the path of good reason.
But you still have a great opportunity to write your names in gold. Resist the temptation of muscle-flexing against the voice of reason. May God grant you the wisdom and courage to do what is right for today and for tomorrow.
Byanyiko, a screenwriter, filmmaker and cinematographer writes from Abuja
(@abesadu)