We Will Never Forget
A Facebook acquaintance reminded me that yesterday made it six months unarmed protesters, mostly young Nigerians, were gunned down at the Lekki Toll Gate “allegedly” by men of the Nigerian police and the Army. With the death of scores of young people, the soul of this country also died. Whether it will ever resurrect is another matter entirely. With those killings also came to an abrupt end the #ENDSARS mass protest.
Someone told me that following the killing, a deluge of young persons besieged his office seeking a way out of Nigeria. While he tried to encourage them to stay and help them to see that there is some hope remaining in Nigeria, he was quite certain that most of them had already left this country in spirit. The next few months will testify to the mass exodus that the massacre of 20/10/20 will engender. One young man arrived Britain and swore that he’ll never return to Nigeria. I cannot blame him; if na you nko?
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article I titled “Nigeria: A Nation Set on Self Destruct”. It appears to me that both the leaders and the led in this country have set themselves to totally destroy this country. One thing however gives me hope: Nigeria has undergone many crisis situations. If none of them have sunk us, it is likely we will survive.
Does anyone know what came out of the panel of inquiries set up by the Lagos State govt to investigate what happened at Lekki? Or has that gathering gone the way of other panel of inquiries in this country? The path of nullity?
I keep thinking to myself: what will save Nigeria? I know for sure what will not save this country. The Muhammadu Buhari govt will not. If they have not done anything in six years, the next two years will still be the same sleepy drudgery we have been enduring. Neither the APC or the PDP will. Both of them have given their best and there is little difference between their efforts and the worst.
I think what will save this country are Nigerian young people. It is the Burna Boys cranking out award winning music. It is our athletes, our footballers, our sport men making us proud in the nations. It is our young doctors, engineers, pharmacists, accountants, and sundry others professionals who continue to fly the kite of Nigeria at home and abroad. The hope of this country is her young people and that is why the killing of those young men and Women at Lekki Toll Gate is so tragic.
Because there is a God in heaven the blood of those young people will not be shed in vain. Those who ordered their killing will be found out: it doesn’t matter what position they occupy in the polity. Their blood cries out for vengeance and God will pacify those cries with the blood of their murderers.
We will never forget.
© Deji Yesufu.
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