I Am Nigerian And My Country Needs You

I am Nigerian And My Country Needs You. Hello everyone, I hope you are well. In case you don’t know, I am Nigerian, and My Country needs You. I repeat – I am Nigerian, and my Country needs You. Why? What is happening? That is what I am struggling to put into words. What is happening is a disgrace and an embarrassment to Nigeria, Africa and the World. At this time and age, this should not be happening, but it is, and we need you. The Country you love is on fire. We need your support. The whole world needs to hear this.

When I first heard about what was happening, I laughed. I didn’t believe it because this is not a brand-new thing; it has been happening for years, decades upon decades. It happened before I was born, before my parents, my grandparents, my great-great-grandparents and my great-great-great-grandparents. So, what’s changed? I laughed because I thought this was happening because of the Black Lives Matter protests. However, after researching, watching interviews and listening to countless complaints and stories from the Nigerian public in Nigeria. It turns out that I was wrong, and I had to say something.

I am Nigerian And My Country Needs You

What is happening?

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is a Nigerian Police Force unit created in late 1992 to deal with crimes associated with robbery, motor vehicle theft, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and firearms. Unfortunately, this has expanded to a new level of ‘Protection’ for the citizens. We are no longer running away from criminals; we are running away from SARS. Like how does that makes sense?

I could say this is a protest against police brutality, and we need your support to stand against it. No. This is not just a protest against police brutality. This is much bigger than that. It is war. War against the Nigerian Government by Nigerians all over the world.

Nigeria is Hungry

Nigeria is hungry, depressed, sad and exhausted. The Country is getting weaker and weaker, and we Nigerians are tired of all the Corruption. Nigerians are the most well-known citizens in the universe. There is no country you will go to in the world that will not be a Nigerian. We have Nigerian-South African, Nigerian-Koreans, Nigerian-Chinese, Nigerian-American, Nigerian-Russian, Nigerian-Polish, Nigerian-British, Nigerian – Australian, and Nigerian-Indian. The list goes on.

Do you know why? This is because Nigerians are special people. We are hard-working, streetwise, loud, happy, caring, and industrial. I believe you have not struggled as much as Nigerians have. It is said that if you have lived and survived in Nigeria, you can live anywhere in the world. B.L.M. talks about privileges against the white people, and the whole world, including Nigeria, took part. Now, we need your support.

Let’s talk about Corruption

There is a lot of Corruption in the world between world leaders; in most cases, leaders listen to their citizens and make changes. However, in Nigeria is a different story:

• We are still hungry
• There’s no electricity
• No Education
• No Health services
• Lack of security services
• Lack of Jobs
• No transportation patrols
• Crime rates increasing
• Death rates increasing

There is so much that needs to get done. I hope this will be the start of making progress. Nigerians have been able to adapt and work our way through it all. Enough is Enough; we can not carry on like this. We need changes, and we demand changes.

Enough is Enough

We celebrated our 60^th Independence Day 2 weeks ago, and there were no celebrations due to the Lockdown, hunger and lack of electricity. We have nothing to show after 60 years of standing on our own two feet, and we cannot carry on like this. I can not believe my experience on my trip to Nigeria in 2019. I spoke about it in my Summer in Nigeria post. It was precisely in the same conditions I left over 20 years ago. It was like I never left. And now we are dealing with brutality from the people who are at least supposed to keep us safe.

It turns out that S.A.R.S. is hungry too. They are human beings too. They have families to feed, just like every Nigerian. To the point that they are willing to go to any length to get provided. Who knows what orders were given to them by the Government in the first place? As I said earlier, Nigerians are clever people. But my brothers and sisters, you can’t fool a fellow Nigerian. We will eventually catch up at the end of the day. And I guess that day is today.

Seriously, how could you possibly think you can steal from any members of the public properties and possessions and end up killing us one after the other and believe we will not catch up? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for discriminating against your people? Who is going through the same thing you are going through daily? What is the gain from it? Only for as little as 20 Naira, you killed a father. A man who has been working very hard to provide for his family. You seem to forget that no man comes back alive once you pull the trigger. What do you gain from it? How much money do you get per head? Lower your weapons.

The Government

I am ashamed of our Government. How can you sit there and do nothing about this whole thing? After 60 years in power, you have nothing to show. Instead, you are all making items worse seconds by seconds, minutes by minutes, hours by hours, days by days, weeks by weeks, months by months, years by years. For 60 years!! There are 60 years of bloodshed in your hands, 60 years of innocent hungry children, 60 years of the failed education system, 60 years of the poor health care system, 60 years of empty employment promises, and 60 years of lack of Electricity and Security.

What is going on? What exactly are you doing? If you refuse to listen to us when we cry out loud about our desperate needs for basic needs as human beings, then at least help us stay alive. We did not make you our Government to kill us.

How can you let this happen in the first place? You hire a bunch of desperate men to work under you to ‘protect’ the public without giving them proper training. S.A.R.S. don’t know what they are doing. They don’t even know how to target or use a gun. They don’t even know the difference between a criminal and an innocent public member. Your people are killing each other, even the rich, celebrities, politicians and veterans who fought in the war. Now the Country they fought so hard for so that you could be where you are today has been a victim of S.A.R.S. The Nigerian Government is a disgrace. There are people, your people dying every single day. You should be ashamed of yourselves for calling yourselves a Nigerian Government.

We deserve better than this.

Nigeria Needs You

I am sorry this was a very long post, I had a lot to say. I have been waiting for the protest to stop, but it looks like it will not stop anytime soon. This movement is long overdue. I am glad to use my platform to help share and support this movement.

If you’re wondering how best to support the end SARS movement, here are a few tips for what to do online and offline. ⁠

AMPLIFY:

• Keep sharing stories of those affected by SARS.
• Sign Petitions HERE
• Use your voice and platforms to amplify theirs.

DONATE:

• Make monetary donations to @feminist.co.

PROTEST:

• If you can, join protests in Nigeria and across the world.
• When protesting, wear your mask, and stay hydrated and safe.

For more information, check out the Feminist Coalition

and follow @feminist.co’s page on the Social Media network.

Don’t forget to use # E.N.D.S.A.R.S.

God bless Nigeria.