#EndSARS and our collective failure

#EndSARS and our collective failure

Sunday, October 25, 2020 12:24 pm



A father who went to loot with son in tow to learn to take over.  Photo credit: Olawale Dibia Ajayi

By Steve Aborisade 

What is at play is the collective failure of all us, but especially of the ruling elite, but importantly of everyone.

We altered our values and mocked the essences inherent in decency, hard work and perseverance. We lost patience with modesty and embraced ostentatious living and a lifestyle of greed and gluttony – in all our ways. We became reckless, self centred and uncaring about others but, importantly, we remained ungodly even when we love to be seen as worshipping God. Anything is permitted, even in the so called houses of God, in so far as they satisfy our hedonistic cravings. We exhibit this tendency in every aspect our lives – everything became a means to an end while we lost sight of the end of things in itself. We are where we are now…

With a generation of hoodlums and another baby generation in the reserve army waiting to take over, a population we have raised without a caring to how they will survive. We closed the door of development on their faces, zapped all their positive energies as we failed to acknowledge the time bomb that they represent. In every home, on the streets, in offices, everywhere; the only thing that is constant is the exploitation and complete disregard for the welfare of the man of less means and his children. Everything and every thought is simply about how to exploit them. What should be their life savings, their pensions, we embezle. Schools and churches that were noted for the shaping of characters and value themselves have become mere bazaar stands where the highest bidders  are the new lords and their doors locked on the very poor who do not have the means to haggle. So education in whatever form is denied. What is left of our public schools – underfunded structures with undertakers who are waiting to zap their last breath as administrators. Private school proprietors are more interested in their balance sheets than the knowledge they are meant to instill. Politics and position of power became the path to loot and stash the commonwealth. Even of things not needed. Year in-year out, more and more peiple finds their way into poverty, more and more depends on dump sites to feed themselves and their families yet, we behave as if its their lot and not out of our making. We are yet to learn anything still, but at least, we have seen the flash of anger that is possible. I see this as a warning to us all.

What happened should be a warning to get things right and to right the wrongs and the injustices of the distribution of wealth, privileges and access to opportunities that we have consistently denied those who merits it the most. 

We may not get another chance to so act if we ignore this and dismiss it with a wave of the hand. 

Nigerians have been pauperised, Nigerians are hungry and angry.  Their tenacity and hard work, in the midst of very little opportunity has amounted to nothing and, they can see you, with all the privileges, many of it undeserved, living a life they can only imagine are meant for fairies. They are frustrated that a few would rather swallow what belonged to everybody. You better act before you become the only meal the poor can think of.

-Steve Aborisade is a public affairs analyst


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