EndSARS: I think People Have Woken Up, Says Volunteer Protester, Abudu

There is an interesting twist to the #EndSARS protests raging across most towns and cities in the country, as it dovetails into demand for transparency and accountability from the government.

One of the young people at the fore of efforts to raise funds to sustain the protests, Feyikemi Abudu, expressed this thougth in an interview on Arise Television yesterday.

“What has happened is that we have fired up a group of people who before now didn’t understand the power that they have,” said Abudu, who, along with the group, the Feminist Coalition, has raised over N62 million (about $165,000) to provide food, medical aid, legal aid, and other necessary support for protesters.

“I think it’s going to fundamentally change the way we relate to some of the injustices that are happening in the country,” said Abudu, who is obviously impressed by the effect of the protests so far, hoping the movement continues long after the street protests have ebbed.

Abudu said, “We realise that we have a voice and people have to answer us. We can hold the government accountable. I think people have woken up.”

This awakening, Abudu said was seen in the ease of raising funds and providing support to groups of protesters, adding that an interesting aspect to the movement was that it lacked an identifiable leader, as there was none.

Abudu said, “Everyone was just mobilising themselves and all we ended up doing was saying where you can donate to.”

“We were a group of volunteers...people were requesting what they need and we just send the funding or help them get an ambulance or security.”

Abudu, who has been protesting on the streets of Lagos, said it was a good development that the federal government conceded to some of the demands of the protesters, but that its proposed panel of investigation was unnecessary.

“There are other immediate actions you can take without needing a panel or judicial committee,” Abudu said. “I think it’s a good step for more long-term investigation of what’s happening but what everyone is looking for is simple- there’s accountability to be had for the damage that has been done so far and those actions can be taken even outside of these judicial panels.

“So that’s one step that they’ve taken but there’s a few more things that they have to do.” On the clear absence of a leader, Abudu said, “There doesn’t need to be a leader because the demands are there and the government can take actions on their own.