I think the #EndSARS momentum is about more than that one police unit. The police are a massive problem but IMO they are a symptom, of a hyper consumerist, hyper unequal society where the rich rub their wealth in the face of the poor and get to do anything they want with impunity

In Lagos, the divide between the rich and the poor is so hard hitting. When I was there, mainland was overcrowded, chaotic and broken down. You couldn’t tell if the buildings were still being built or deteriorating.

Almost everywhere you looked, smoke, open drains, dirty water. But in contrast, all the rich people seemed to live in beautiful, peaceful Victoria Island, passing through mainland only to get to the airport.

(Mind you, South Africa is the same in this regard. The only reason we get to forget about this is because Apartheid infrastructure put townships out of town and out of site (Imagine if to get to OR Tambo you had to drive THROUGH and not past Alexandra.))

I've spoken to Naija artists in the US who say they miss Lagos but I think what they really miss is the power they had there to abuse the state and the poor and get away with it. “If we were in Lagos my security would have smacked that guy.” “Police? Haha what can they do to us?”

When I was in Lagos, the only time I saw police was when they were escorting rich people (artists included) through the heavy traffic. The siren would be on and the police would shout and sometimes even beat people out of the way.

It seemed like anyone with money could buy a police convoy to rush them through traffic. And it seemed like Nigerians had become accustomed to that. But I suspect that more than the actions of 1 police unit, this might be the kind of abuse of power many Nigerians are fed up with.

But what depressed me was how defeated regular Nigerians seemed to be. They no longer expected normal services or even decency from the leaders. They didn’t complain to government about the roads, instead they aspired to get Range Rovers so they too could glide over the potholes.

What was the point of demanding a better Nigeria? Most just aspired to simply emigrate elsewhere.

One good thing this has done is create a people so resilient and resourceful that they will thrive all over the world, in both legal and illegal ventures. But it made me sad that Nigerians had given up on their own country.

That’s why I like what people have been saying about #ENDSARS : that this generation of Nigerians is different. This is the generation that will demand that their leaders do better. I believe this moment could really catapult Nigeria to become something awe inspiring.

The only thing that could somewhat honor the precious lives of those killed in Lekki and elsewhere is by making sure that from this a more equal society is built. Where the government IS expected to answer to citizens and where rich people don’t completely abuse the entire system

As my favorite Nigerian writer, Ben Okri said “Sometimes it seems that awful things in history happen to compel us to achieve the impossible.” #EndSARS

He also said “Great struggles tend to throw up great spirits. Great suffering tends to throw up great minds who refuse to accept the terms of that suffering.” Love and comfort to those who lost loved ones and strength to those on the path to building a better Nigeria.