Sometime last year October there was a nationwide protest in the country to end SARS(special anti-robbery squad).
A group of people meant to reduce the crime rate and help in curbing robbery in the country. However, they used their powers to harass young people and took a lot of lives disguising their actions as legal.
Nigerians within the country and all over the world were furious about the problems this group was creating and then decided that a peaceful protest be arranged to hold on a certain date in October.
The protest held for a couple of days shutting a lot of places down. The online world also contributed its fair share. The whole world knew and contributed to the protest.
During the course of the protest in Lagos, while protesters were sleeping, some armed men which were not SARS officers opened fire on protesters and a lot of lives were lost in this process. It was a red-letter day in the life of Nigerians.
Fast forward to 2021...
Since the beginning of 2021, the upsurge in insecurity has increased and a lot of kidnapping has been going on in the country, killings here and there. Some parts of the country had to impose a curfew on its citizens. Also, the economic crisis is currently terrible as evidenced by the value of the Naira, and the cost of things.
Some sects of the country want a division. The so-called Biafrans. Others want the current president to step down from his post since he is not capable of ruling the people.
In the light of this, different groups came together and decided to hold another protest on national democracy day connoting that there is no need for the celebration as things have gone worse.
So a protest was scheduled today and the protest did not yield anything as uniformed men were there to stop any form of protest or peaceful gathering.
My question remains
Is protest the way forward?
pixabayProtesting works in certain parts of the world where people know their rights and stand for them. it also works in places where systems are put in place to help the masses. However, in Nigeria, the right of the people have been taken and the government is not moved by such actions.
I feel protesting is not the way forward as there are a lot of things that are stopping Nigerians from moving ahead.
The problem of Nigeria starts with the people. If everyone can decide to do the right thing in his/her space, The country will move forward.
An average Nigerian youth will confidently tell you he is not interested in politics and the power in Nigeria. I mean this is where the problem starts from. This is why old men occupy most of the positions in Nigeria.
In the last election, people were bribed with 4 dollars to vote the current government and they took it without knowing the consequence. How won't they take it when they are not interested in the government?
An average Nigerian who is employed by the government doesn't take his job seriously as he should and yet complains of a change of government.
All those clamoring for a change in government will do the same if not worse.
All I am saying is that it all boils down to us, if we want a good country, we should start from our household.
I will like to end this post with a famous quote
Be the change you want to see in the world.
Thank you for reading.