You could taste it in the air. Today was not like every other day. Nigerians had had enough.
The protests had started on Wednesday as people took to the streets and social media to demand the disbandment of the police unit, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS). Subsequent protests on Thursday were led by notable personalities like Runtown and Folarin Falana a.k.a Falz.
Soon after, another batch of protesters emerged; commencing a protest marathon. The protesters were led by comedian, Mr. Macaroni and influencer, Savvy Rinnu. They settled in front of the Lagos Governor’s office for an overnight protest despite insistent obstruction from police forces.
Early Friday, fresh faces were on the streets. Individuals had crowdfunded money for food and essentials for the protesters. They were ready for as long as it took, and they were not taking no as an answer.
Artiste, Small Doctor brought crowds to the protest location, while mothers convened in and the protests spread across Nigeria.
There’s a potent contagious energy a powerful movement has. To see people coming together for a sole purpose, driven and committed, raises a need for you to join them too. This is what happened when thousands of Nigerians came out of their home to demand a change in the rotten system.
This time, Nigerians didn’t bend and adapt to every uncomfortable situation. This time they didn’t wield humour as a way to cope with a truly unbearable situation. They took matters into their hands, took to the streets and said “Enough is Enough!”. Our hope is that the government is listening and listening well because the Nigerians we saw today can and will go to any lengths to ensure a change takes place.
Looks like it’s “NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER!”
Toluwanimi Onakoya is a spirited writer, creative and videographer. Her biggest drive is to connect with people and depict tales using various forms of media.
Toluwanimi is available on Instagram and Twitter @nimi_onaks
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