AZZUR MEDIA : can you share with us how it started and your experience?
You were one of those that promoted/supported the #EndSARS movement, 8 October 2020 – 20 October 2020
NWABUIKE HENRY : In sharing my experience, what resonates is the fact that young Nigerians came to protest police brutality. Then the shooting started.
The protests were peaceful in Lagos. I organised the first protest on the 7th of October alongside passionate young Nigerians who were ready to die in the quest for social justice who slept in front of the police headquarters and State house of assembly in Lagos. We were nearly killed by police outside the State House of Assembly in the middle of the night on October 8, sparking widespread protests across the country and beyond. The protests remained largely peaceful until the Nigerian Government decided to hijack the movement through sponsored hoodlums and later ordered military operatives to shoot at protesters.
HENRY: Being a Nigerian alone motivates me to participate in protests because this is about my future, my country, my people.
It is about survival. It was about advocating against oppression and not becoming a victim tomorrow. I am propelled to go out to protest to increase the public awareness,and put a spotlight on injustice and oppression that is happening in Nigeria. It is crucial for me to get involved because the injustice that is happening in the country finally required more than hashtags.
AZZUR MEDIA : What’s your opinion about the crop of youth that joined the protest?
HENRY: At a young age, we advocate change in a country where people have long lost their voices and where it feels like talking is too much. We are also breaking the norm and doing it together with millions of other young Nigerians like us, young people in the same situation, people who have been mentally oppressed, defeated and complacent for decades. We exuded resilience, unity, empathy, radiated love, transparency and cared for each other in contrast to the labels assigned to us; keypad warriors, lazy, selfish, docile, afraid generation. It’s important to note that we are not afraid; we just do not want to die.
The incident that sparked the 2020 protests was a report on police officers who shot a young man under the guise of fighting cyber fraud, after which they made away with his car.
Triggered by that incident and several others in the same period, the #EndSARS spirit was awakened once again, and that was the beginning of what can be described as one of the biggest civil disobedience events in the history of Nigeria.
AZZUR MEDIA : Why did you support it?
HENRY : I promoted the protest because I have come to realise that conversations around police brutality were yielding no results. I realised that it was time to take action beyond just complaining on the internet with hopes that the government will eventually embark on the much-needed police reforms.08/10/2021
