_When I was just a little girl, I asked my mother, what will I be? Will I be pretty? Will I be rich? Here’s what she said to me: ‘Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be, the future’s not ours to see, que sera sera,’_
Did you ask your mother the same? Did you ask what would become of Nigeria? Maybe, maybe not. You might have heard about the above poem while growing up or maybe not. You’re also probably wondering what the song has to do with what’s happening. Well, guess what? The problem we find ourselves in now is as a result of the girl’s mother’s reply in the song.
Some years ago, Nigeria was ranked the first country with a happy people. Why? The reason isn’t farfetched. Nigerians, as I’d like to belive, were created by God specially with a unique ability – adaptation. It wasn’t that things were always in our favour but we always managed to survive and we never stopped smiling. Little wonder even when the price of fuel, food and utilities skyrockets, Nigerians would still turn up at shows and parties. We can’t kill ourselves _na, abi_ ?
But here’s the thing. Here’s what broke the camel’s back for us. Having to live in fear for the loss of our lives. The country is tough, no doubt. But let’s not be deceived, even at that, people are surviving . People are living. They are trying to put food on the table for their families. Men are trying to fend for their families, women are trying to contribute the little they can and the youths are not left out in the struggle. The youths are probably the ones involved in the hustle the most since they still have much vigour.
They say life is the survival of the fittest but in recent times in Nigeria, the threats to our lives have doubled, if not quadrupled. The police are meant for our protection and not to take our lives, cause us harm or threaten us. Yet, a lot of lives has been lost to the brutality of the police on us. On what account? Our looks and possessions! What happened to our rights of freedom of expression ?
Without guns and uniforms, a policemen is as good as a comman man. Well, maybe there’s a little or no difference. But we can never feel protected if the people that should protect us are the ones taking our lives and robbing us of our properties.
Like the response the mother in the aforementioned song gave to her daughter says, whatever will be, will be, right? Here’s what. We, the people are done waiting for that ‘whatever to be’. What has been happening is nothing near palatable. We are done waiting for the future to play out by itself. We have taken the reins of the country and together, we would march it into where it should be.
We say in one voice, end Police brutality, end SARS and end bad governance. We deserve better. Our children deserves a better life even more.
#EndSARSnow
#EndBadGovernance
#EndPoliceBrutality
What do you think?