People have been coming out to protest and speak against SARS Brutality and one thing I’ve noticed is that there are still people that are very silent about this issue and I want to talk about that because I can’t seem to understand how you can be silent about something that is affecting everyone. These are the sets of people that have been quiet about the #EndSARS movement:
Influencers
I think this set of people have annoyed me the most. The audacity for them to open their mouths to tell us that we can’t tell them what to do with their platforms, that it’s their platform and they can do whatever they want to to do with it. The reason we’re coming to you is because you have a platform (that we gave you by the way, or who do you think makes up the “platform”?) that can reach a lot of people and it would be helpful and reasonable for you to use your platform to spread awareness about people being killed by the police in YOUR country. It’s not a small minor issue we are asking you to talk about, it’s a big problem that concerns people’s lives. Even if you’re not directly affected by it. Do you mean to tell me that you can’t pause your “aesthetic” to help save people in your country??? Wow! Maybe we made a mistake supporting you then. Speaking of, all the influencers who try to make the End SARS movement into an aesthetic for their Instagram feed, I see you too, and I just want you to know that it’s people’s lives we’re talking about here, so maybe, just maybe try to be more sensitive and reasonable.
And for the influencers that have been outrightly stupid, e.g Ebiye, we will deal with you once this done.
Brands
When it comes to asking us to buy their products they would be in our faces, now come and support a cause that involves the lives of people, they’re mute. Just know that we’re noting all the brands that are making a stand and we’re noting all the brands that are keeping quiet. Na people wey dey alive go fit buy something. All the companies and big organizations that have kept quiet, we see you o.
Nigerian Celebrities
The Nigerian celebrities that are “doing their research” are really annoying me. What research are you doing?? They are killing people in your country and you say you’re doing research, how funny. I can’t believe there are Nigerian celebrities living in Nigeria that are keeping quiet about this SARS thing. Even if SARS hasn’t harassed you before, you at least know about the experiences of people that it has happened to, you’ve heard stories, so why are you keeping quiet? Why are you doing research? If it’s to come and sing about the struggles of Nigeria you’ll be there, but when it’s time to actually take action, you’re mute. Soro Soke werey!
Nigerians in the Diaspora
So you’ve moved abroad now so it no longer affects you. You seem to forget that you have friends here, parents, cousins, siblings, etc. here who can still be affected by SARS. So just because you’ve moved abroad doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect you, and it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t speak out against it. Educate your international friends and let them know what’s happening and let them also help in spreading the news and the hashtag internationally, let the movement be global. That’s how you can help.
The Media
There are still news stations and newspapers that aren’t talking about the End SARS movement. And some of the ones that are reporting on it, are spreading fake news against the protesters. Without Twitter, a lot of the information that’s being passed around, wouldn’t have been able to be passed around. Now imagine we didn’t have social media? What would have happened? Nobody would have even known about the protests, the protests might not even have been this big. Channels TV, we see you reporting fake news o. I don’t understand why you have to lie about corona virus numbers increasing due to the protests when you know that’s not the case. Anyway, it’s not like we don’t know that a lot of News stations in Nigeria are controlled by the government. Thankfully, International news stations are reporting what’s happening and they are reporting it accurately.
Nigerian celebrities in the Diaspora
These people only remember Nigerians for the culture. When it’s time to post pictures in Ankara, or put the Nigerian flag in their bios on October 1st or do accent challenge, they’ll be there. Anything after that, forget it, it doesn’t concern them. What a shame. They’ll all now come back for Detty December. But when it was time to protest against the killings of your people by SARS you were quiet. Well done. Ronke Raji, we’ll never forget what you did.