Professor Bizaaro
The year 2020 has been one of wonders and calamity. So much so that when you think you cannot get enough, it presents to you a freshly baked misfortune that sprouts out of nowhere to roll over our unending misery. Now, this isn’t a review of what a bad year 2020 has been or how we do not deserve the amount of disarray the universe is sending our way. it is just my fears of how the coming years might seem like if we still carry our toxic mentality.
The past days I’ve been thinking, rather, I’ve been overthinking. The recent mishap that followed the #EndSARS protest triggered some line of thoughts. Admittedly, I wasn’t in support of the idea because I saw it as doomed. I knew the types of government we have; they would act nonchalant for most of it, and while the police fight back protesters, riot would ensue, this would then force the government to bow to pressure and dissolve the unit, also laying off the officers. But while people think that would be the end of the story, I had the sense of reading the epilogue that now tells of how the disbanded officers turn into hardened criminal attacking youths with a personal vendetta.
They would have the protection of the night, skills of the police, and motive of a criminal that would antagonise the populace. I feared this because I will remain a youth for at least some fifteen years more. But then, I kept all these analysis to myself. I was not going to be the naysayer when the youths finally found their voice.
That took a fatal turn during the events of Monday 19th of October when hoodlums were introduced to hijack and disrupt protests. And like that, the peaceful protest of over two weeks became a riot. But the protesters persevered, they pushed back the political thugs sent by unknown oligarchs to sabotage their civil right. As if that wasn’t enough, antagonist (of the protests) up their antics and they plotted the Lekki Massacre of October 20.
Seeing reports of this saddened me to my soul as it was close to home. I saw pictures of youths my peers and then this thought began to ring in my head, “this could have been me.” I use to see myself as a civil right activist, and the only reason I didn’t join the protest was because I wasn’t fully sold on the reform the youths asked about SARS. I had thought of the possible aftermaths, and in most of it, the solution seemed more problematic than the actual issue. Still killing protesters, citizens of the country, while they raised the national flag and chorused the national anthem? That’s treason.
After all said and done, that’s the story of post-colonial Africa. What troubles me however, is that whenever I think I’ve seen the light at the far end of the tunnel, I find that its only a mirage. I’ve seen enough to realise that these are not the last sets of villains who have plunged the nation info disarray. Factually, their greed pales in contrast to the new breed of politicians being produced in our grassroots. Truth is, I’ve seen these youth politicians go to incredulous length for something so petty. You know, the usual pathetic means for some frivolous ends? I’ve seen some fight for rights (a good course), win that fight, then renegade on their victory to go back to the table to discuss how these rights would be taken away again all for cheap gains. I’ve seen some assault and murder those who would say the truth because of some five-figure credit alert; I’ve seen many who claim to be honest and after the public welfare smile at the prospect of gaining some cheap share of a national cake, I hear they smile themselves to sleep after counting their gains. I’ve certainly seen the appalling extent some would go for some shallow profit.
However, these makes the prospect for a better tomorrow seem bleak. It bothers me that power might fall into the hands of these notoriously cunning, shamefully vile, desperate and greedy few amongst the youths. I imagine what life would be in my fifties if these sets are the ones running for president and governor.
Need I remind you all that for fifty-five years, Nigeria has been govern by the same set of youths who seized power in 1966. They have recycled and returned to power till they have all become oligarchs who run things from behind the curtains. They alone decide who is allowed to dine in the circle of power. Nowadays, the youths threaten revolution. But to any sane thinking one, it begs the question, what next after revolution, what happens after restructuring? Who do we trust with the rebuilding of the largest black nation on the face of the Earth? I cannot rest easily knowing those that actively partake in polity aren’t there for the public, but for the shadowy parts of their cupboards. 70% of them aren’t in for good governance but for the gains of relevance.
The truth is that I would like to speak in plain words, but freedom of expression is assured; however, freedom thereafter was never guaranteed. I am above hassling, truly, evident in what happened to my colleagues some days back. And that in itself is why I feel that if power falls into hands of such people, then our generation is doomed. We need a tough psychological cleansing on political reorientation to prospective politicians, because is laughable and disturbing that a campus journalist is more frightful of the petty politicians down here than the actual government because I fear they are more brutal for something so little. Use your imagination, “what would someone who had me beaten up for something trivial as an argument do when he has the full might of the federal power? What would he do if I actively go against him with my pain? What would he do if I was his rival? Oh dear… so many possibilities.