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The Endsars Movement May Not Be Relevant At the End

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2 years ago

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“Social change is political by its very nature and you cannot make social change without politics. ” ―Ebuka Onyekwelu

The Endsars movement is now making its second strategic and fundamental error, which will ultimately result in the group gaining almost nothing from its struggle. The first error was its demand for too much sudden change at the same time and now, it is making its second costly error, though, for the most part, it is not surprising because of the nature of the movement.

The group which started by demanding an end to SARS as a unit of the Nigeria police force quickly gained momentum yielding hundreds of thousands of followers across Nigeria and beyond, to the movement. So understandably, the government was rattled and the group’s request was granted after the government weighed its options and reconsidered its initial stance for reform of SARS. However, gradually, EndSars metamorphosed into diverse other credible demands which simply cannot be realized at once, still shrouded in the Endsars campaign. But this is not the making of the organizers of the group as they merely flowed in the direction the masses who matched across different cities in the country wanted. Here, again, is a demonstration of critical shortfall in the essence of organizations like this.

The challenge of populist movements is in the thinking that what inspired the movement will mainstream it, or maybe sustain it to be enthroned. Put differently, there is a fundamental error in the thinking of populist organisations that it can rely on populism to unseat a government and then institute its own government. This error is better appreciated when we consider that good governance is not necessarily about what the majority wants. In fact, a government that simply does what the people want can hardly do any good. What do Nigerians want for instance? Well, we can sum it up as “give them money”. That is; share the budgetary allocations to the citizens directly in cash. No matter how crazy this sounds, it is not far from what most Nigerians want. And so there is a particular challenge that is difficult to maneuver with movements like Endsars and that challenge is mostly about how to engage the state and the government. Hence, populist movements often run against cause, eventually getting into a war with the state and the government.

From the beginning, these movements out of their populist posturing and its nature to please “the people”, treat government as an enemy, instead of a partner and that’s why it is usually difficult for them to work with the government now or in the future. Typical, not just Nigerians, but many people around the world genuinely think government is their problem. So generally, any populist movement is first against the government and never willing to reconsider its stance because its whole essence is built around that singular narrative. We also see that most times, these movements are unable to mentally distinguish the state and the government, just about for the same reason Plato had regarded democracy as a mob rule. A mob does not have the capacity to think strategically.

 If anything, the Lagos experience is again that the movement ought to take and build on.

The rejection of the Endsars movement of the efforts by the Lagos State Government to placate the ugly and unfortunate Lekki Tollgate events of 2020, is a major strategic error. Aside from Lagos, there were tens of Endsars panels of inquiry in different states. In states where the panel has since ceased to sit or was not even set up at all, what has the movement done? Nothing. If they never sit till the end of time, what will the movement do? Nothing. Lagos is the only state where the panel not only completed its mandate but also where there are efforts to address real issues in connection thereto with the whitepaper, even if grossly inadequate. Nothing is heard of the other about twenty-six states whose panels of inquiry on police brutality are said to have completed their assignment.  If anything, the Lagos experience is again that the movement ought to take and build on. The report and even the whitepaper are clearly far from being perfect. But there are some gains. Accept the gains, go to the table and talk, then keep making further demands. Eventually, get into public office and do it yourself. Truth is, the experience of the Lagos government with the panel will shape the political behaviour of political actors in matters of this nature, moving forward, and it is a clear minus.

Social change is political by its very nature and you cannot make social change without politics. It is even worse when the changes you are demanding can only be made by political means. But again, this is the problem with populism, but as we know, the movement eventually begins to lose stem and only disappears over time.

If the Endsars movement is serious, it must work with what it has. This also applies to agitators for several rights and privileges.  You cannot make a lasting impression on the politics and governance of a state, how a society is organised and your stake in the scheme of things as a group or individual, without political means. Therefore, the strategic focus must be to take advantage of any foothold given as bait to mainstream and advance your purpose, as a group or individual.

The fact is that no government anywhere in the world will conform to too much demand for change at once. No group anywhere no matter the justice of their cause can have their way without mainstreaming their cause by political means. Until then, no serious government anywhere in the world will deal with a group or individual with the respect and dignity accorded to state authorities because, no matter the formidability of their followership, they are still non-state actors and cannot be duly trusted.

♦ Ebuka Onyekwelu, strategic governance exponent,  is a columnist with the WAP

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Nigeria: chibok abduction anniversary spurs demands for justice

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1 week ago

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April 16, 2024

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Militants, alongside relatives of victims of the infamous abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls that sparked global outrage in 2014, gathered in Lagos on Sunday, April 14, to renew calls for the release of the remaining girls in captivity.

The Sunday meeting was organized to mark the 10th anniversary of the abduction that affected 276 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, northeastern Nigeria.

“What I would ask the government is to find a way to work towards bringing back our sisters because I know it is only the government that can help us bring back these girls,” said Grace Dauda, a rescued Chibok schoolgirl.

Another rescued schoolgirl, Rebecca Malu, added, “They should stay safe. They should stay strong, one day, they will be released like us.”

While some girls managed to escape on their own, others have been freed over the years through intense campaigns by civil society organizations and government negotiations. But this human rights activist, Ayo Obe, is calling for more action from the authorities.

“We know that we started with missing persons numbering two hundred and fifty-six; it is already an improvement that we are down to 91. But of course, 91 is 91 lives unaccounted for. We appreciate the fact that so many of them escaped during the abduction itself. We appreciate the fact that the government has brought back so many more of them, but we say that we don’t stop here. We need the momentum that has happened since the mass return during the Buhari administration in 2016-2017 to be maintained. We expected that the remaining girls would have been brought back,” she said.

Mass school children kidnapping in Nigeria has continued nearly unabated since Chibok. Around 1,700 students have been kidnapped in raids since 2014 according to Amnesty International.

A member of the Bring Back Our Girls movement and convener of the 10th-year anniversary in Lagos, Opeyemi Adamolekun, lamented this as unfortunate.

“Unfortunately, it became political between 2014 and 2015, part of the amplification of the movement was part of the 2015 presidential campaign. And we saw the effect of the first batch of 21 that were released with the help of the Red Cross and the Swiss government. The second batch of 82 that were released with the help of the Red Cross and the Swiss government as well. But unfortunately, it seems that energy sort of dissipated because the government doesn’t feel as much pressure as they used to feel,” she said.

For this group of Nigerians, the government must match words with more action to stem the tide of mass school kidnappings in the country.

According to the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, a charity that advocates for the Chibok schoolgirls, about 90 girls still remain in captivity while dozens of the schoolgirls freed over the years are living inside a military-run rehabilitation camp with surrendered Boko Haram fighters they married in the Sambisa forest, Boko Haram’s main hideout.

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Nigeria suspends permit of 3 private jet operators

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1 week ago

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April 16, 2024

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Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has taken action against private jet operators flouting regulations by suspending the Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) of three operators caught conducting commercial flights.

This crackdown follows warnings issued in March 2024.

Acting Director General Capt. Chris Najomo stated that increased surveillance at Nigerian airports led to the grounding of three operators found violating their PNCF terms. Specifically, they breached annexure provisions and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.

In response, the NCAA announced a thorough re-evaluation of all PNCF holders to ensure compliance with regulations, to be completed by April 19th, 2024. PNCF holders have been instructed to submit necessary documents within 72 hours to expedite the process. Najomo emphasized these actions highlight the NCAA’s commitment to enhancing safety in Nigerian airspace.

Furthermore, the NCAA warned the public against using charter operators without a valid Air Operators Certificate and urged legitimate industry players to report any suspicious activities promptly.

This crackdown comes after the NCAA’s stern warning in March against PNCF holders engaging in commercial operations.

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Senator Cory Booker Leads a Congressional Delegation to Nigeria

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4 weeks ago

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March 30, 2024

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Photo: Senator Cory Booker (In the back) and a Diplomat from the US Department of State, joins with members of the Academy for Women Alumnae Association including Mercy Ogori of Kokomi Africa and Adebisi Odeleye of Moore Organics.

Senator Cory also met women entrepreneurs from the Academy for Women Alumnae Association

Last week, US Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey led a congressional delegation to Nigeria, which included House of Representatives members Sara Jacobs and Barbara Lee from California. The purpose of the visit was to discuss a partnership on sustainable development. During the talks, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed his administration’s dedication to strengthening democracy through upholding the rule of law and ensuring good governance, justice, and fairness for all citizens. Senator Booker emphasized the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance that bind Nigeria and the United States as partners.

The delegation also met with women entrepreneurs from the Academy for Women Alumnae Association, who had participated in US-sponsored exchange programs. Led by Adebisi Odeleye of Moore Organics, the businesswomen shared their experiences and discussed their entrepreneurial endeavors. Other Academy members were Mandela Washington Fellow, Nkem Okocha of Mama Moni, Inemesit Dike of LegalX, and Mercy Ogori of Kokomi.

The partnership between the United States and Nigeria has lasted over six decades, focusing on addressing security challenges, enhancing health security, and responding to global health crises. Despite obstacles like corruption, poverty, and insecurity, the US remains dedicated to supporting Nigerian institutions and promoting free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections.

During the visit to the State House, Senator Booker reiterated the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance that unite Nigeria and the United States as partners.

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