Nigeria’s Lost Battle: A Year On After Lekki Massacre

This date are numbers that cannot be erased from the hearts of well-meaning Nigerians in time of redemption the country was left in havoc, Lekki massacre is a reminiscence of what Nigerian leaders look like, and the future was completely left in pool of blood. A year on after disdain on human lives which was experience in Lagos, Nigeria. Young generation in search of change and redemption met the greatest insult on human lives since the country’s fourth republic.

This is the kind of things that makes the difference, 2020 was a turbulent year for everyone, as the world was hit by deadly coronavirus pandemic which caused lives in thousands. Another phase that triggered the incident was high exploitation of police department called SARS, who took the central stage in investigating sudden amassing of wealth by young people, they are made to believe it is inspired by widespread of cybercrimes which have seen many become victims of this situation. It was drastic enforcement for most of Nigerians, the mode they operated on was more or less like criminals invading on confidential information and incarceration without trial at that point Nigeria lost battle on human rights.

This called for change and many advocated for abolishment of SARS to replace it with honest police squad. It took the government the whole time in the world to witness the havoc of modern time since its recent republic, to contemplate and act on people’s demands. Nigerians felt like Buhari administration has done more harm to them, but Lekki massacre sums up the disaster that still question his capacity as a president.

Issues that brought about ENDSARS

The world was silent on Nigeria as leaders turn carnivorous of its own people, this was the country’s lowest moment in 2020, it is no argument that Lekki massacre killed more than the pandemic did in Nigeria. This was a big question to answer but it was swept under the carpet, as harmless citizens fighting for the cause they believe to be just was left with scores of lifeless bodies in the most populous city in West Africa.

Nigerians have not moved on from this horrific moment in the history of Nigeria, the questions are still there but the government has failed to answer any of them. Nothing has changed since Lekki toll gate massacre, the country is only becoming nastier and unlivable. As politically motivated bandits and kidnappers take the central stage and rule all day, it seems like there are no solutions to insecurity as it worsens every day.

Another big moment is coming up, 2023 general election will put Nigeria in a scale to weigh in candidates who are willing to push the country out of the dark. The most populous black nation has met it waterloo in Buhari administration, with government lacking any clue of whatsoever to save Nigerians from the woes of this administration. The unity of the country is on shaky grounds, Nigeria looks more divided than united in this present situation and preferred treatment is widespread in the political settings.

The future of young generation in the affairs of the country are left in the hands of henchmen who are willing to do anything to satisfy their selfish interests, Nigeria is in a terrible state, no future for young people in the country, travelling abroad seem the best option to explore as the country has nothing to offer or show in all ramification, that is why young people are chief proponents in all secession groups, Lekki massacre is a scar that can never be healed, it will keep hunting Nigeria for ages.

Nigeria’s problem of a lifetime

Lekki massacre is deeper than it surfaces, a group of peaceful protesters who are not only advocating to abolish SARS[ Special Armed Robbery Squad] but for a drastic positive change in the affairs of the country, this is an incident that exposed the so-called giant of Africa, with all its shortcomings but so much attention was not paid to it, because people who lost their lives in Lagos have no social status, people clamouring for a better atmosphere to explore their talents not for the government to provide work for them.

This posed another big question, despite the Lagos horror democracy was put under a great threat, this is not the recognized people’s government they made people to believe, it looks like modern tyranny, because it is unusual for a democratically elected officials to turn carnivorous against its citizens, this is what happens only in military government but unsurprisingly it is replacing the people’s government, and the society is going down as the day go by. The scenario in United States, when the former president, Donald Trump was gingering his supporters to boycott election results, the 6^th January insurrection of US Capitol that put their democratic institutions under a great threat.

No matter how the government want to paint it, those who lost their lives in Lekki massacre will always have a special remembrance, it will always be a bad day for the bereaved but in search of better society experiences like this, is almost inevitable. The world is fast deviating from the true ideology of democracy, in Africa, it is only on paper nothing is democratic about the government, it is founded on false promises, misleading people, exploitation and endangering lives.

Lagos was the epicenter of the protests, Lagos like any other state, people were killed in the same cause. But northern Nigeria deviated from the protests, first they are in support of SARS, but their view concerning running of the government was unheard. Northern Nigeria is no safe zone, the headquarters of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and disease, this is government abandoned zone. The level of poverty in northern Nigeria is alarming, and pupils are afraid to go to school due to security challenges that are facing the region.

So many questions were left unanswered one year on after Lekki massacre, who sent soldiers to the protesters? Who ordered the shootings? This is what many Nigerians have been craving to hear, no definite answer to these questions. The country is under a great threat, secession groups, showing desire to leave, the next few years could be a decisive moment for Nigeria.