Leonard Karshima Shilgba
The recent wave of civic consciousness which is blowing across Nigeria,
in spite of the gust of sabotage and betrayals that it has chalked up,
fits into a harbinger of nationhood for the Nigerian State. If the
#ENDSARS triggers succeed in birthing the beautiful ones that Nigeria
needs to transform into a nation, the sweet wine of intellectually
stimulating and selfless leadership will be savoured by a satisfied
citizenry.
A country cannot become a nation until a common uniting passion gives
birth to its soul. Ethnicity and religion have for too long been
misused as dividing weapons by Nigeria’s intellectually weak political,
religious and other categories of leaders. A nation is founded on
inclusive laws, which are the best testimonials of its aspirations. If
the majority of its citizens disavow those laws, feel constrained by its
laws, or believe they are alienated by its laws, then, without
equivocation, the conclusion is that a minority is ruling over and
oppressing the majority. In this case, the instruments of oppression,
legalized by the laws, are not meant to be challenged, and whosoever
challenges this status quo is charged with “treason”. And since the law
courts must apply those oppressive laws, conviction is the ineluctable
outcome, ultimately.
Nigeria is presently operating a Constitution that is both constraining
and alienating. Cluttered with contradictions, while on the one hand
granting certain privileges and on the other rendering them
“non-justiceable”, the same Constitution absolves culpable elected
leaders of guilt. I urge Nigerians (especially, the youth) to read
Chapter Two of the Constitution: Fundamental Objectives and Directive
Principles of State Policy. Having read this chapter, do not rejoice,
because Section 6, Subsection 6 (c) vitiates whatever gains you the
Nigerian hope to derive therefrom
The struggle for a Nigeria that works for all and not just for a few
cannot and should not be one of brawn but brains. We must read; we ought
to familiarise ourselves with the Nigerian Constitution. Then, we can
debate and negotiate intelligently the terms of our union, the Nigerian
union. Then, we can meld Nigerian components ideologically and come up
with a montage that is riveting and attractive to even complements of
Nigeria.
Nigerian youth, admirals of the underlying principles of the #ENDSARS
movement, do you have any legislative agenda? What message do you have
for your legislators in Abuja? Are you simply content with your
“Five-point” demand? If you are, we should expect #ENDSARS-like protests
every so often hereafter. What is worth doing is worth doing well.
Lessons have been learnt. For instance, it is much clearer now that the
breadth of imagination and depth of perception in Nigeria’s corridors of
political power at all levels are abysmal. What were the responses by
governments to the unprecedented orderly peaceful outing of the #ENDSARS
advocates? “48- hour curfews”! Also, there were allegations of
infiltration of the peaceful order with violent hoodlums in order to
FIND AN OCCASION for Gestapo-style overrun of the peaceful protesters
who had offered government no excuse.
The murder of Nigerian youth at Lekki Toll Gates by military
uniform-clad and gun-wielding men ought to have attracted certain
comments by President Buhari, in spite of denials of involvement by the
Nigerian military and claims of ongoing investigation by the
authorities. I am disappointed that he did not offer as much as
condolences to the bereaved. Is this not one more evidence of the
undervaluation of human life by the current federal government of
Nigeria? These words of one of the youth who escaped the October 20
attacks on Lekki Toll Gates, capture the contraction of leadership in
Nigeria: “We elected you, not to serve you, but for you to serve us.”
Leonard Karshima Shilgba
© Shilgba