NIGERIAN LIVES MATTER!
Nigerian Lives Matter is a bit different from those stereotypes movements calling for impeachments, reshuffling of the National assembly. It is borne out of the accumulation of recent events that constantly point to the fact that being a Nigerian in Nigeria does not guarantee you safety. It is an awakened consciousness that doesn’t need the social media to thrive. To deny the fact that it is a conclusive phrase for many fears, unwhispered words and unsaid speech that the average Nigerian fails to utter would be mere politicking.
Nigerian Live Matters can be linked to Black Live Matters in the US, which is basically to fight racism and White supremacy; it is a fight for equality and freedom, the target is White racists. The Nigerian Live Matters is more complex, it is a fight for survival, to remind a prayer-seeking government that prayers without policies won’t work. It is to the Presidency that accepting or not accepting cattle ranching should never be a prerequisite for the safety of Nigerians. It is not a political discussion, it is a reality that cannot be avoided.
One indisputable role of government is the protection of lives and property within its borders. It is a yardstick for all kinds of government. It is not a campaign promise that Nigerians demand, it is a fundamental right hinged on the Nigerian Constitution. It is a right, a duty that must be fulfilled by government. Security of lives and property is not a privilege to be paid for by religious loyalty, ethnicity, gender or geographical location. It cannot be sold on the basis of party membership or social status, it is a promise for everyone.
Beyond any doubt, there is no more important time than now to remind the federal government that Nigerian Lives Matters, the numbers are increasing daily. It is doubtful if the government still keeps count of the number of victims, how many more lives would be exchanged for cattle? How many more churches would be burnt and priest dispersed? How many businesses would be ruined? How many more markets would be razed?
When citizens are not secured in their own country, there is no guarantee for safety when they are outside. The American government operates on the tenet of “an attack against one is an attack against all.” It is an obvious fact that has come to stay. The American government may not be a perfect example in the high school shootings and other security challenges, yet they are always putting long-term mechanism in place to attend to crisis area. What kind of security should Nigerians expect from this current government?
As this movement gains momentum, it won’t fail like others, because it was never formed by petitions, interests or influences. With its depth cutting across societal issues that affect affect Nigerians, no amount of social media post would break it, because it is a revolution that has its roots in survival. Survival not freedom, only survivors ask for freedom.
The movement is no movement without you, the movement has not a physical presence, it can’t be framed by hashtags. The movement is within everyone seeking for a new Nigeria.
Absolutely, Nigerian Lives Matter! Joseph Jegede, Lagos