A FLAG PAINTED WITH BLOOD
By Olanrewaju Osho
The Green White Green flag means different things to millions of Nigerians. To some, it inspires pride, passion or the spirit of endless possibilities. To others, it simply evokes memories of our ruggedness, resilience and undying faith in the lopsided and imperfect union the British patched together for us in 1914 and cemented in 1960
Even with the vacillating and detouring of Nigeria in matters of progress and national pride in the last six decades, Countless Nigerians have continued to keep the faith and never waver in their respect for and pride in their national flag. During sporting events and matches involving any of our national teams, our sports men and women and millions of their teaming compatriots sing the Nigerian national anthem with passion as they watch the flag fly high in the sky in the spirit of the eagle.
Every October 1 and also during the democracy holiday, Nigerians fly the flag in their cars, wave it in their hands, hoist it in their homes or even cloth themselves with fabrics in the colours of the flag.
Nigeria’s security operatives swear to defend the flag. The elected officials take oath to defend the flag. Public and private establishments stake their pride in the nation by proudly installing the flags in their work premises in the spirit of patriotism.Whereever the flag stands, it soars high daily as the symbol of our pride and nationhood. Since Taiwo Akinkumi’s design was accepted shortly before our independence in October 1, 1960, the flag has always swaggered high in the power of the wind in its safe space in the air. The only time it is made to fly at half of its strength is during national tragedies and death of prominent citizens.
With utmost dedication and devotion, the Nigerian army has been a great defender of our flag. More than any other security agency, our army has lost more lives of its gallant officers and men in the defence of our flag. More than any other security outfit, the Nigeria Army towers high in the statistics of officers and men whose coffins were draped in the green white green in their final journey to eternal rest after paying the supreme price for Nigeria’s peace and territorial integrity.
Sadly the same army we love to sing its praise on 20:10:2020 mindlessly desecrated the Nigerian flag and draped it in the blood of peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll gate where thousands of youth have kept peaceful vigil for 13 days demanding an end to police brutality and bad government. The picture of that flag covered with blood broke the internet within five hours of the incident and traveled round the world and back. With the picture of the blood stained flag goes 100 million negative impressions and memories of Nigeria, the Nigeria Army and General Muhamadu Buhari our Commander -in-Chief who swore to defend the flag with all his strength.
The protesters that the Nigerian army was mobilized to crush in Lekki ironically shares the same spirit and qualities with our army in the area of long suffering, love for Nigeria, commitment to a better tomorrow for our country, resilience and tenacity. But the order to break the protesters’ resolve appears too urgent and draconian for the men in green to spare the luxury of sympathy, empathy and brotherhood for the self same people they were commissioned to defend.
The attack on the protesters in Lekki was not the first assault on the #EndSarsnow protesters. The well coordinated plan to restore ‘order’ actually started in Abuja the day before. In the attack on protesters by privileged hoodlums, no flag was draped in blood in Abuja but the blood of several youth who put their faith in the promise of the flag was spilled to paint the roads and streets of Abuja from Dutse to Apo. Some policemen were also reported to have suffered the ire of angry youth who felt the police deliberately abandoned them to hoodlums to be wasted.
Most observers are unanimous about the peaceful conduct of the protests and were hopeful that the government will relate with the youth swiftly and maturely to address the issues they raised. This sadly was never to be.
Four things turned the #EndSarsnow protests by Nigeria’s youths to the field of blood the country has witnessed in the last 48 hours.
1. We are led by a President that is largely absent.
To be present is not be physically in a place alone. It means to be available in every realm of the word. The President is expected to be an omnibus person. He is required to be a leader, father, advisor, mentor, teacher, counselor, listener, first responder, coach, comforter, negotiator and assurance provider. To do all these, the President has to be present. President Buhari has shown lack of capacity to be present in his nearly six years of leadership so far. A President who is present would have handled the youth protests dexterously and even successfully turn the energy the youths brought into the campaign into national asset for sustainable change but he missed that chance big time and it might turn out to be a missed opportunity that will eventually lead to the death of the All Progressive Party (APC) in Nigeria.
2. Our political leadership space is populated by people who will leave no stone unturned to protect their access to the national cake.
In some other clime, the ruling class would have rallied together to present sound advice that will not allow the crises to deteriorate to the President. The style government used to take charge further confirms that Nigeria badly needs good leaders at every level of leadership going forward. Good leaders who will tell their principal the truth all the time. Not sycophants whose desire to keep their jobs make them ever ready to work against the interest of the masses always.
3. A security architecture that is obsolete and badly needs to be overhauled. Our security operatives are only good and professional in their operations mostly on foreign land. At home many of them are very unprofessional, callous, highhanded and vindictive.
4. An army of illiterate youths reserved for the hatchet man’s job by the oppressors of Nigeria. There is an abundance of illiterate, hungry and hopeless youth reserve for dirty jobs required to prevent Nigeria from ever making progress. This ignorant youths who offer themselves for rent as hoodlums are too blinded to the fact that the protests were largely in their own interest and are too quick to kill and maim their fellow youths because of little financial inducement.
If President Buhari had been truly Presidential, fatherly and one who practices conscious leadership as most Nigerians expected, the mayhem that happened could have been averted many days before now.
If our security operatives are literate, humane and concerned about Nigeria, they would have known that these youth were fighting for them as well instead of treating them like the enemy because they dared to call for the #Endsarsnow.
The character and creativity of these young protesters the army tried to crush in Lekki, Lagos, made Nigerians to fall in love with them. They were amazing in their organization and mobilization skills. Kindness was flowing in their hearts even as they expressed their pains and frustration with the leaders peacefully. They were said to have raised 4 million naira for two physically challenged young Nigerians who came to protest with them. They planned to buy artificial limbs for these two people with the money.
They were also said to have raised over two million naira for the old woman who was selling groundnut around Lekki toll gate where they protested. They were civil, sacrificial, innovative, and they were focussed on issues. Are these not the qualities that we need to build a new Nigeria? Yet, the system did not see anything wrong in painting our national flag with the blood of some of them.
Firing the shots that spilled the blood on the flag was easy and quick, but removing the negative images, impressions and conclusions that follow that picture around the world will be an arduous and lengthy task for decades to come.
As for the youths, it shouldn’t be long before they realise that protesting on the streets will never deliver the Nigeria of their dream. What they must do is to leverage on their population advantage and come together with the same spirit and energy they devoted to these protests with their votes come 2023 to elect their own President, Governors and other Representatives they can be proud of. That better protest of purposeful political participation is the best way to finally end police brutality, bad governance and the painting of our flags and land with the blood of precious souls.God help Nigeria.
Olanrewaju Osho is a development specialist, change architect and a public affairs analyst.
