Just
over a year ago, four young men in their late teens and early twenties, all students
of the University of Port Harcourt, were brutally murdered in a community
called Aluu in Port Harcourt, Nigeria following an allegation of robbery. Barely
a few days afterwards, the internet and social media platforms were inundated with
videos and pictures of their murder. Once the Police had established that these
young men in their prime were no robbers, a public outrage for justice followed.
They were ordinary students who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong
time.
On
reflection, it appeared that most of the outrage was not as a result of the
horrific way they were lynched and set ablaze by an angry mob, it was actually because
they were in fact ‘four innocent young students’ who were wrongfully “convicted”
by jungle justice and “summarily executed” by an angry mob. The truth is,
countless number of young men whose name we may never learn have been victims
of this same fate for offences ranging from alleged stealing of soft drinks or
money to sexual assault. And despite the mass outrage, many more men have been
murdered the same way since the Aluu Four tragedy.
Even
more gut wrenching are videos of young women being stripped naked and subjected
to the most humiliating and inhuman treatment because they allegedly stole a
blackberry phone or were ‘indecently’ dressed. Some of the videos feature
voices of members of the crowd saying things like “that serves them right! They
should know better than steal next time.” And sadly we hear of ‘Curative’ rape
for lesbian women and most times the perpetrators are never caught or
prosecuted even when in some cases their faces and voices were captured on
camera.
Nelson
Mandela once said that “The true character of a society is revealed in how
it treats its children [youths].” The Nigerian government indifference to the barbaric
treatment of its young people is symptomatic of its true character – ‘it does
not care’. The government has ensured young Nigerians stay hungry, jobless, out
of school and ultimately idle and unthinking. Young people feel vulnerable, disempowered
and systematically brainwashed into believing that they will never be good
enough to take on positions of authority as youths.
While
the young Nigerians waste away, filled with anger and frustration; leadership
continue to rests on the tired and corrupt shoulders of people old enough to be
our grandfathers and grandmothers, and tired enough to be retired and out of office.
Yet they stay on; yet they squander our future wealth, energy and resources. Young
Nigerians are now so morally desensitized, mentally numb and intellectually
bankrupt that if they were ever called for jury service, to preside over a case
in a mob court, of their fellow youths, the accused, stand no chance. The only
sentence to be handed down is death, carried out in the most gruesome fashion,
with ‘No appeal’! Young Nigerians have lost faith in the Nigerian judicial
system – because the courts never seem to deliver ‘proper’ justice. After all,
many corrupt officials are let off with a slap on their wrist for embezzling
billions of dollars.
If
we have learnt anything from the ALUU four, it is that we must channel our
anger towards the right causes and people. Those who would rather have us kill
ourselves so they can continue their maleficent looting. For change to occur, the
Nigerian youth must personalize this tragedy, because each of them can
potentially suffer the same fate. They should pause, think, think and think
some more. It could be me today, you tomorrow or a young woman/man whose only
crime was being a Nigerian in the midst of an angry Nigerian mob.
It
is not about not being in the wrong company, it is not about having a good
reputation always. It is that if at anytime, our reputation or moral character
is ever called into question, we will never get a fair trial amongst our peers
- our jurors, our spectators; our executioners!
But
all said and done, I still have faith and explicit trust in my peers – the Nigerian
youth- that they have the abilities and capabilities, not only to turn around the
tide of anger, violence and jungle justice but also to join hands in building
the Nigeria we wish for ourselves and our children. We can save ourselves today
and transform tomorrow for the next generation: A corruption free Nigeria – one
where the judicial system is highly revered and respected and one where rule of
law reigns and respect for lives and human rights is the hallmark of daily coexistence;
yes A Nigeria where young people of all backgrounds are celebrated and enabled
to be active participants in democracy and governance at all levels.
That’s my
dream.
God
Bless Nigeria!
