Open letter to #TechTwitter & #BlackTechTwitter:

Few months ago you lent your voices to the mistreatment & killings of Black people through #BLM

The Nigerian Tech community showed her support in all possible ways to help amplify, RTin like our lives depended on it

#SARSMUSTEND

We know oppression, we know what it means to suffer daily from police brutality because we go through it, it’s a daily struggle.

We didn’t have to “make research” to help amplify your struggles or “casually RT” like human lives meant nothing, because it was “solidarity-first”

This October, we choose to revolt against the YEARS of police brutality we’ve been enduring here in Nigeria, through the #EndSARS #SARSMUSTEND #ENDSWAT protests

As techies, we are the one of the largest targets of these brutality cases due to our unconventional work lifestyle

You follow us,
you engage with our contents,
you ask us to refer more “rockstar Nigerian devs” to you,
you claim to recognise the brilliance that comes from our ecosystem,
(you even praise our Jollof)

but when we need you to lend your voice to our struggles, you look away

Are you aware that Nigerians are currently demanding for their rights to live and not be killed just for owning a Laptop or an expensive gadget?

Are you aware that in <1 week, 15 people have been killed by the police just because we expressed our rights to protest peacefully?

Are you aware that the Nigerian government is doing everything within its powers through the media to ensure the rest of the world sees or hears nothing about the #SARSMUSTEND protests?

Are you aware that your Nigerian tech friends have to live in constant daily fear of being arrested, charged with murder or even killed for no particular reason other than being techies with access to smart phones and gadgets?

#SARSMUSTEND

Are you aware that every single Nigerian in tech has either been or knows someone who’s has been brutalised, assaulted or harassed by the Police?

#SARSMUSTEND

All of these and MANY more stories are the realities of being a person in tech in Nigeria.

How can you help? You can show your solidarity by

1. Tweeting /RTing tweets with #SARSMUSTEND - your platform helps amplify it to a larger global audience

2. Watching & RTing this: https://twitter.com/funmioyatogun/status/1315688741453860865

Donating or even volunteering your expertise here: https://feministcoalition2020.com/ 

Your total silence will only continue to speak loudly of your intentions.

It won’t derail us but when this is over, we’ll know those who genuinely had us in thoughts and actions

#SARSMUSTEND

To the > 1% non-Nigerian techies who have been tweeting, amplifying and showing your support in several other ways, THANK YOU!

We see you and we are really thankful

Aluta continua, victory ascerta