OPINION: #ENDSARS – What’s ethnicity got to do with it?

By Promise Adiele

Tina Turner, the ageless American – Swiss-born singer electrified global music scene in 1984 with her hit song “What’s Love Got to Do with It”. The title of the song provides the creative impulse for the title of my essay this week. My analysis of the song and subsequent deployment as a template for interpreting Nigeria’s multilayered, contemporary issues will be restricted to the lyrics available to me.

Many people, especially the older generation, are familiar with the song. The mere mention of it instinctively urges them to dance or unconsciously activates a hush humming of the chorus. In the song, Tuner acknowledges that the racing of the pulses associated with the interaction of opposites – male and female – is inevitable but most times, has nothing to do with love. The singer argues that it is only logical for opposites to attract but cautions us to resist the urge to misconstrue the arising biological tensions as love.

According to her, many times, there is no love in such lustful engagements. In the past two weeks, Nigeria witnessed the clash of opposites – the impoverished youths and the elite, leadership class, the oppressed and the oppressor. The two opposites came face to face with each other in an open, gruelling confrontation. Unfortunately, agents from the depth of the netherworld spewed hate speech, fanning the embers of ethnic strife in the milieu.

To their disgrace, the ploy lost turgidity before it could achieve any penetration. Indeed, ethnicity had nothing to do in the 2020 Nigerian Youths Protests. In the future, when history is recollected, it will be told in varying degrees that in 2020, in one accord, devoid of religion, class, and ethnicity, Nigerian youths reacted differently. Fed up with the brutality of the proscribed rogue police department SARS, frustrated by the various dimensions of criminality in the polity, discouraged by the annoying ineptitude in the corridors of power, and exploited by the continued impoverishment of the populace, they rose to say no using #ENDSARS as a commanding metaphor. Given the developments of the past weeks, our country has taken a pride of place in the annals of history.

Again, ethnicity had nothing to do with it. In a move that surprised everyone, especially the ruling, oppressive class, the youths of Nigeria suddenly found their voices. The 2020 Nigerian Youths Protests were inevitable. Over the years, Nigeria witnessed vicious recycling of leadership so that those who ascended positions of power and influence when they were young are still the same people who are leaders today. The result is that they afflict our country with their obsolete, retrogressive ideas. As the days turned to weeks, months to years, things got worse in Nigeria.

Looting public funds became the order of the day with our country boasting of such trophies like the poverty capital of the world. Ironically, Nigerian youths excel abroad but back home, it is anguish made worse by the determination of the police force to hound and brutalize them. Under these conditions, the 2020 Nigerian Youths Protests happened. Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja became the hot-beds. Gradually, other cities in the country joined the fray and all over Nigeria, the refrain was #ENDSARS, #ENDBADGOVERNANCE #ENDIMPUNITY.

While the youths were protesting peacefully in solidarity devoid of ethnicity, class or religion, the principalities in Nigeria fought back. What did they do? They planted tares among the wheat reminiscent of that Biblical analogy recounted by the Master. In a video that went viral, armed thugs were seen in Lagos State-owned buses including expensive SUV cars. The armed thugs were accompanied by well dressed, corporate, tough-looking men who ensured that the thugs were not molested. The question is – who ordered the release of those state-owned buses? Who were the corporate looking men with expensive SUVs that supervised the harming of peaceful, protesting youths?

That was in Lagos. In Abuja, armed hoodlums were also seen pursing peaceful protesting youths. When the peaceful protesters apprehended one of the armed thugs in Abuja, he confessed that they were paid 1,500 naira each to kill and destroy. As the peaceful protests gathered momentum across the country, the international community took notice. Sensing imminent embarrassment, the cabal that submerged the fortunes of the country barred their monstrous fangs. They sent armed soldiers to disperse protesting youths in the Lekki area of Lagos. Deluded, brainwashed soldiers, failing to realise that the protesters were fighting for a better condition for all, went to the scene and acted the script of their paymasters. The soldiers fired gunshots, wounding some people while others died. Then, hell was let loose. Another arm of the youths emerged – the violent ones, those nurtured by politicians for nefarious ends, to snatch ballot boxes, maim political opponents, and disorganize the society.

They took to the streets, looted and burnt everything in sight. Lagos state buses used to convey thugs to harm peaceful protesting youths were burnt. Some buildings were also burnt. The same happened all across the country. Having failed to use thugs to polarize the youths and dislocate the unity among them, the cabal deployed other means. They decided to fly the ethnic kite to cause disaffection and disharmony. In a move that surprised the devil, the renowned architect of tragedy, some demented souls decided to rehash discordant ethnic tunes. It started as a mere joke. Gradually, it inundated social media. The violence in Lagos was blamed on the Igbo. Nothing could be more idiotic.

I watched video of devil incarnates issuing an ultimatum to Igbos to vacate Lagos within a given period. That ultimatum came with a conviction that some people need to be urgently exorcised of demonic manipulation. The question is – if Igbos caused the arson and looting in Lagos, who is responsible for what happened in Enugu, Onitsha, Owerri, Abakiliki, Port Harcourt and Aba? For sure, a different ethnicity must be accountable. It is such an ethnic dimension that betrays the level of intuitive deficit which abound among those who lay claim to knowledge. Fortunately, Nigerian youths of the 21st – century era are educated. They saw through the ethnic dubiety and ignored it.

Afenifere, the socio-cultural group of the Yoruba immediately denounced the threat, warning the purveyor to desist from such depravity. But the ethnic hate tactic was partially successful because instead of focusing on vital issues, attention has been diverted momentarily. Everybody is talking about ethnicity.

The question is – who released Lagos State-owned buses and expensive SUVs to convey thugs to attack peaceful, protesting youths? Who ordered armed soldiers to go to Lekki to shoot innocent, peaceful protesting youths? The memory of the dead will hunt Nigeria forever if we do not answer these questions. Have the youths been suppressed? No. The ruling demagogues are afraid.

The latest developments in the country have jolted them to sudden awareness. But this is just the beginning. The Nigerian youth may not go to the streets again. There are different channels of protests and the youths will explore them. A new Nigeria is here. Those who have stolen the children’s toy and raised their hands will surely be tired. They will be forced to bring down their hands. Then the children will, in one accord, devoid of ethnicity, religion or class, reclaim their toy.

Nigeria’s inflation rate 13.7%, highest in 30 months

Email: promee01@yahoo.com