| We want to wish you Happy Decolonisation Day.
Our use of the word “Decolonisation” today is deliberate.
Every year, Nigeria celebrates October 1st as Independence Day to commemorate the commencement of self-rule from the British. The word independence however means freedom and self-sufficiency. Nigeria has celebrated Independence every October 1st since 1960, but can Nigeria and Nigerians truly say we have been free? For the majority of Nigerians, the decolonisation of Nigeria in 1960 only marked the transfer of oppressors from white men to black men.
Since the attainment of self-rule, Nigerians have mobilised against intimidation, injustice, and oppression from their leaders. Some paid the ultimate price along the way such as Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni 9, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and her son, Fela Kuti, occupy Nigeria, EndSARS etc. Nigerians have clearly not stopped fighting for our independence. This is a testament to the fact that true freedom has continuously been an illusion to Nigerians. We have remained shackled by the incompetence of our leaders, injustice from the state, rising poverty, inflation, economic hardship, brutality, and extrajudicial killings from security agencies who are meant to protect us, rule of tyranny and oppression, and so on. The biggest victims of these injustices are the young people of Nigeria.
Those who form more than 70% of the population. Young people have always been at the vanguard for the fight for freedom and a better country for all. The culmination of this struggle happened last year in October when thousands of young people marched to the streets to protest against and express grievances with the excess activities of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) whose victims are mostly young people. The #EndSARS protests climaxed with the tragic shooting at Lekki toll gate. In that tragic incident, some of our compatriots, mostly young people, paid the ultimate price for freedom. It is to this that, as an organisation, we have chosen to celebrate Independence Day on October 20 in honour of those true heroes who knowing the implications of their continued insistence that the government listened to the yearnings of the people who fought and were murdered while raising up the Nigerian Flag and singing the National Anthem.
They gave up their lives in the struggle for freedom, the right to live without being harassed or extorted, a safer and secured country for young Nigerians to go about their daily lives, better economic opportunities, employment opportunities, and good governance. The fight for true independence from slave masters, whether they are labelled whites or blacks is still ongoing. This fight is what we choose to remember on this day and will share with you in the next few days our plans and activities in remembrance of victims of October 20, 2020. God bless you and May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. |
