It is no coincidence that the SARS acronym for the anti-robbery squad is the same as the deadly disease called SARS which affects the respiratory organs. The youths are the respiratory organs of Nigeria and in our call for a better life as youths in our country Nigeria, I remembered the national anthem on my way back from work and analysed the second stanza.
Oh God of creation, direct our noble cause
Guide our leader’s right
Help our youth the truth to know
In love and honesty to grow
And live in just and true
Great lofty heights attain
To build a nation where peace and justice shall reign
Our campaign to #EndSars is a desperate fulfilment of our undying noble cause to live in a safe, peaceful and flourishing nation. When the composers of the anthem composed it, they never knew it would get to a time when the youths of this country will be the majority and asked God helped us know the truth.
Today we are standing in love and honesty to grow because we want to live in a just and true society. I have not been able to join the protest for some reasons, however, I have taken my protest to start within the capacity of my office in the public service.
#EndSars is not just for the disbandment of a police unit but for the end to a system of extreme corruption. Youths have been labelled to be lazy, but in our journey to great lofty heights attainment they have arrived to survive, without giving them an environment to work and grow. The Nigerian system has been inflicted with SARS (corruption and injustice) which has made the hard work of many Nigerian youths not to be worth the while.
Corruption is rooted deep into the system and is the large cause of most of the issues affecting Nigeria, from poor amenities, to poor governance, to unemployment, to insecurity, to rising poverty levels, to environmental concerns and many more. The government has continued to fail and it has affected every aspect of our beloved country.
We pledge to #EndSars in our educational system. Lecturers are known to be a pain in the asses of students. From failing unjustly, to request for sex and payments to pass. There have been claims that graduates are unemployable when they were not taught right. This system has given birth to the number of unemployed youths in the system. Out hostels are like ghettos, classes are insufficient, facilities are ancient. The state of public schools are terrible. Private schools have also not met the standards of the Nigeria population. The curriculum has also not been updated to match the changing times. Teachers are not well educated to teach. Our colleges of education have been abandoned, yet these graduates from Colleges of education are supposed to be the ones to help our nation grow? We are against this rot and therefore we Stand to #EndSars in Nigerian Education System. We do this by
1. Equipping schools across all levels with better pays for teachers and training for teachers.
2. Ensuring lecturers are accountable for their actions.
3. Creating educational programs to encourage development.
4. Ensuring the schools and the industries are connected.
5. Ensuring that curriculum is updated.
We pledge to #EndSars in our healthcare. There was a time when our primary healthcare took care of issues that were basic and this reduced the number of people that went to the hospitals. Today, doctors run their private clinics and abandon the hospitals. Yet they say that they are not paid. Hospitals are not enough, the politicians send themselves outside the country for treatment yet the masses have to deal with poor healthcare. The budget for the health sector is not only insufficient but also doesn't get to the bottom. Therefore, we Stand to #EndSars in the Nigerian Health Sector. This can be done by:
1. Restoring out primary healthcares,
2. Renovating all hospitals.
3. Equipping more hospitals.
4. Ensuring that Doctors are at their duty posts.
We Pledge to #EndSars in the civil service, the civil service has been hit by corruption and embezzlement. The pension of retirees have been held, salaries of staff in the system are not paid in time, allowances and entitlements are owed. This has resulted in the manner of rot in the system. Staff pick beans in the office and many do not do anything. The top gets richer and those down survive by any means. This corruption made many civil servants become lazy at work. The system has birthed unwilling workers who cannot drive the betterment of the country. Therefore we Stand to #EndSars in the Civil Service. To do this there should be:
1. A better payment plan for workers in the service.
2. Better working environment for workers.
3. Housing for staff across the country (do not let the top keep on keeping the houses let it get to all at all levels)
4. Better healthcare and allowances for the workers at all levels.
We pledge to #EndSars in the Military and Police Force. The brutality of the security keepers on the country is the worst. The amount of check points in the south, where peace is more than that in the north with high insecurity. The police collection point (checkpoints) have increased the transport fares of the normal Nigerians. The poor manner of policing in the country has made transportation not easy in the country. The number of deaths of poor citizens is highly unappreciated. The state of the police stations is an eyesore yet their homes are wonderful. The prisons and holding rooms are worse than the zoo. The hiring of police and military as body guards by theives and high ranking officials is enormous. This is the reason why we Stand to #EndSars in the Security Architecture of Nigeria. We ask that:
1. A reform of the security Architecture of Nigeria is made. States should man their security apparatus.
2. Proper recruitment structure is developed (psychology training included).
3. No less than a diploma is employed into the security apparatus.
4. Better prisons are built.
5. Reduction of escorts attached to politicians.
We pledge to #EndSars in the government. The embezzlement that has continued to occur in the Nigerian government is alarming. The lies and promises have continued to affect Nigerians. Poor social amenities, poor schools, poor healthcare, poor social services, and many more. We have been constantly dragged around by this government and we are tired. They have taken our Monies outside the country and developed other countries. Our wealth has been shared among a very few number of people in the government. The funds released for the Covid 19 palliatives, have not been felt by the public. The Ambassador of peace has called for the use of force against the peaceful protests, the CBN has identified the account where funds are been sent to for #EndSars protest yet has not been able to trace looted funds and other accounts of terrorists in the country. How do we think this country will grow? The government has continued to shut us up to grow in their quest for absolute power and extreme corruption. This is why we Stand to #EndSars in the government. To do this:
1. No less than a Graduate should hold any position in the Government.
2. Proper check should be carried out on funds allocated for projects and real time transparent reports should be sent to the public.
3. Political equity across regions and zones of Nigeria.
4. Elect of the best candidates and not based on the region he comes from.
5. Have a government with a "Human Face".
We pledge to #EndSars in the transportation sector. This has been one of the most notorious industry in Nigeria. The use of thugs against drivers to extort money by the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has been an undying cause for the terrible state of the Nigerian transportation system. The Union has continued to allow for the use of poor state of vehicles to move people from one place to another. The Union are partly a reason for the hike in transport prices. The Union not addressing their drivers to have complete papers is part of the reasons why the Police feel entitled to collection of bribe. They make change for the police collection points to allow for a smooth travel experience. This rot is caused because of the number of illiterates that man the Union. The government has not done their part too. There are no alternatives. Air transport is expensive for the common Nigerian. The railways are in their worst states. Sea transport is not safe for Nigerians. This is why we Stand to #EndSars in the transport sector. To do this we ask that:
1. The NURTW be reformed
2. All busses or vehicles used for transportation be in good state.
3. The fines and taxes collected from drivers be used to develop parks and other transport related matters.
4. The leaders of the Unions heading the different transport sectors must me educated.
We pledge to #EndSars in our Private sector. Businesses have continued to be unfair to those working for them. The poor wages and extreme working hours that they have put Nigerians to work. The unhealthy working culture, the harsh boss and staff relationship and many more has caused for an unhealthy work-life balance. Many on the streets do not have packages for retirement of when they are laid off. Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association NECA, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) etc have not done their jobs in ensuring a better and conducive working environment for workers. The bosses that want the ladies to open their legs for promotion and this unjust nature has lingered on for a very long time. The poor Corporte Social Responsibility activities of businesses for their immediate environment. The government has not also been fair to them, the government has also taken contract that belonged to indeginous companies outside the country, not giving them opportunities to compete. The foreign companies take all their monies back to their country and use Nigerians anyhow. The poor implementation of the Local Content Act and many more. The private sector has not also looked to universities to help them solve problems through research. The banks have failed in their part to service the economy. They have not provided loans to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) rather they loan to big companies and oil compaines which have left the country in disarry. This is why we Stand to #EndSars in the private sector. We ask for:
1. Better collaboration between Companies and Universities for good business developments through research.
2. Better working hours (more flexible) for Nigerians.
3. Better welfare packages for Nigerians.
4. Better working conditions for Nigerian employees.
In my final words, our fight is because we want a better life for everyone from young to old. We are fighting for our parents and our children and unborn offsprings. It is surprising that our parent sang between 1960 and 1978 that:
Nigeria we hail thee
Our own dear native land
Though tribes and tongue may differ
In brotherhood we stand
Nigerians all, are proud to serve
Our sovereign Motherland.
Our flag shall be a symbol
That truth and justice reign
In peace or battle honour 'd,
And this we count as gain,
To hand on to our children
A banner without stain.
O God of creation
Grant this our one request
Help us to build a nation
Where no man is oppressed
And so with peace and plenty
Nigeria may be blessed.
Our parents sang that they would hand over to us a banner without stain but it never happened. We are cleaning that stained banner so we hand over a country where no one will be oppressed and where Nigeria will be blessed. Those who sang this song have oppressed us and when we are with differing tongues standing United to end clean the banner they are calling for force. We fight to make Nigeria better and in peace and battle honour'd for truth and justice to reign we count as gain as Nigerian Youths.
To do this, I call on all of us in our different capacities to play our roles. As writers, develop contents to educate ourselves and librate us, as graphic designers use art to define the new Nigeria, as economists use data to explain the rot and let futurists amongst us predict future events with causes of actions, as lawyers fight this battle with the law and provide suggestions, Pastors and Imams let's continue praying and all others on our different capacities. When we define our stance and even though all of us are not at the forefront, we are playing our part to make Nigeria greater.
WE WILL WIN THIS WAR.
Thank you #Nigeria #NigerianYouths
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