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Food for Living: #EndSARS Movement: The Way Forward
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By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
It is no longer news that Nigeria has been trending for the wrong reasons. Almost all major news platforms in the world and world leaders have aired their views with respect to the ongoing protests in Nigeria. For the record, CNN, BBC, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal as well as world leaders like Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Members of UK Parliament just to mention a few have raised their voices in different capacities, advising the Federal Government of Nigeria and precisely the President Muhammadu Buhari, to arrest the situation by adhering to the legitimate demands of the #EndSARS protesters.
For the benefit of my readers who are not aware of the origin of this article, please take time to read my last week article, #ENDSARS in Nigeria, for a better understanding. It is important to mention that nothing brings a nation down more than insecurity and instability. When there is a total breakdown of law and order, it will be difficult for any nation to move forward, and also, it will be difficult for investors to invest therein. This is the true state of Nigeria at the moment. Globally, the number one responsibility of any President or leader of a country is the protection of lives and property of its citizens. As it stands now, the protection of lives and properties of the citizens of Nigerians is no longer a priority of the government. It is no longer news that the lives and properties of Nigerians have been destroyed and one begins to wonder if we have a functional government. This is because human lives seem to be of no value if we look at the way thugs and security agents killed peaceful protesters.
It’s important to mention that October 20, 2020 will remain indelible in the minds of Nigerians and the world globally because it was on this date, the military unleashed live bullets on unarmed peaceful protesters who were protesting at the Lekki Tollgate. The shootings were sadistic, draconian and insensitive. In saner climes, the President, Vice President, Governor of Lagos State, Chief of Army Staff and other key officials of the cabinet ought to have resigned, but the reverse is the case in Nigeria.
The level of impunity in Nigeria is at an alarming rate. It is disheartening to note that security officials in Nigeria can kill a citizen they are meant to protect and say with impunity nothing will happen, and mostly likely that’s the honest truth. It’s so sad and unfortunate to note that human lives has little or no value again in Nigerian
Due to the pressure from the international community and well-meaning citizens of Nigeria, the President Muhammadu Buhari was compelled to address the citizens after the bloody massacre, but the most heartbreaking and disheartening news the President gave to Nigerian was not being able to commensurate with the families of those who lost their loved ones, but he was quick condemn the killings of security officials. One begins to wonder if the president has empathy, even if the President doesn’t have empathy what happens to this sympathy? He didn’t speak like a leader who has blood flowing through his veins.
One begins to wonder what’s the way forward for the protesters. The youths have shown that they have what it takes to lead if you look at the way and manner they have conducted themselves during these protests. The organization was well coordinated. They had provision for Legal Aid, medical personnel, relief for victim’s brutality, mental health support, food and relief for fallen heroes. That said, many people are still wondering what’s the way forward? Many youths and concerned Nigerians are worried about the future of the protesters because they see hope in the energy and spirit of the youths.
It’s important to note that the youths have achieve some monumental progress namely: they made the government to disband ENDSARS police officers, the government accepted their five for five demands, the government has made effort to persecute erring officers who weren’t diligent in performing their duties and most importantly, they made the President to address the Nation even though the speech was nothing to write home about.
Again, I ask what’s the way forward for the #endSARS protesters? Many youths are worried about how to proceed. Here are my humble thoughts. Let’s be clear, every protest must have a leader(s)and every movement or protest must be structured. Even though some schools of thought are against having clear leaders so it won’t be hijacked and to the extent he/she is no longer alive or available, the movement can still proceed, however it’s pertinent to mention that without a clear cut leadership of the protest, it will he hard to coordinate the movement, the advantages of having a leadership is much better than not having a leadership structure. Here are my humble thoughts on why a leadership structure is needed.
1. A good leadership will help to direct and inform the protesters on the way forward
2. A good leadership structure will be in a better position to negotiate when need arises
3. A good leadership will give credibility to the movement in addition to ensuring it’s not hijacked
4. A good leadership will elaborate in detailed format what we stand for, our missions and visions
5. A good leadership will provide authentic information as opposed to fake news been peddled by rumor mongers
The list is literally endless. The question now becomes how can this work?
1. Structure:
We need a good structure that will articulate the direction of the protest, the guidelines of the protest and modus operandi of the movement. Without a good structure, the movement will look like a ship without a captain or a moving car without a direction.
2. Administration
We need a good administration that will run the internal affairs of the movement. A good administration can be likened to the parts of the body working for the well being of the body. As you may know, if any part of the body is not working well, other parts will be affected. A good administration is a like a blind spot which sees and hears what other people can’t see or hear and then report to the appropriate quarters for action
3. Resources
No doubt, we need resources to make the movement work. Without resources, it will be hard to get anything done. We are not fighting with ordinary mortals; we are fighting against forces in government uniforms. Resources are like blood and fuel in human beings and cars. Without blood and fuel, it will be hard for a human being and car to function very well. Again, if the agents of the government shut down any part of the campaign to raise money in Nigeria, those in diaspora and well-meaning people who are interested in developing and bringing change to the system can actually contribute meaningfully.
4. Strategy
The last but not the least is a strategy. Without a good strategy, it might be difficult to achieve any meaningful progress. You cannot underestimate the importance of strategy. In politics, strategy is very important for the success of any political campaign. Campaign can be likened to a Business Model Canvas (B.M.C). Our strategy must only be known by the internal agents who will then direct the people on where the next step. For example, we can decide when to go online and when to go on the street, we can decide on a particular dress code etc. Strategy involves reaching out to those in diaspora, learning from the elders who have been there before us in the fight for self-actualization, negotiating where need be and planning for the future.
In conclusion, I will strongly advise every patriotic citizen and lover of Nigeria not to give up because we have come a long way. The protest is not a sprint, but a marathon. I strongly believe, if we can brainstorm and articulate ideas on how to re-strategize the protest, I believe we will have a good chance of achieving our aim.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the author of the acclaimed book Design Your Destiny – Actualizing Your Birthright To Success and President of gloemi.com. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Last week, we laid the foundation of loving what you do. We discussed loving the topic as it relates to family, career, health, relationship, personal development, purpose and spirituality. Today, we shall be focusing on how loving what you do can be a game changer.
It’s instructive to note that in the dictionary of life; when you love what you do and what you do loves you, you are destined for not only success, but also greatness. One may be wondering how this works. Trust me, it is difficult to succeed in a major, or profession one doesn’t like.
The journey of life can be challenging, stressful and unpredictable. When one is trying to set up a business, there’s bound to be setbacks maybe due to a new policy or meeting up with the requirement, there could challenges of funds; in academics, if one choose a major one likes, despite the associating challenges that may arise, one will still manage to pull through because he that is in him is greater and stronger than he that is in the world.
Also, in relationships and marriage, if one values friendship, they won’t allow their ego to have influence over them. Rather, they will invest time and resources in the relationship. That’s why it’s always good to place values above physical features in a human body when it comes to settling down for marriage because at the end of the day, the human body features can fade away, but values and friendship will not fade away, rather, it will serve as the binding factor that keeps the relationship.
One’s career is not an exception; one can tell who likes their job and one who doesn’t like their job. In workplaces, if one is happy at work, they tend to put in extra hours to get the job done. But when they are not happy with the job, they’ll do the bare minimum just to get through.
Let’s spend a minute to understand how loving what one does can be a game changer in one’s life. Just imagine, one is inspired to write a book, there will be challenges, however, it is the inspiration and determination of the person that will determine if they will finish strong. But if they are inspired by the wrong source, they might finish weak. Here is the gist, it is your desire to succeed that will outweigh your fear of failure.
Again, imagine a scenario where one is starting a business but has no resources and structure behind him. The fact is that if the person loves what he’s doing, it will be hard for the person to give up because their force is internal. I can vividly remember when I was working on my first, second and third book, I had many reasons to quit, but I refused because I love the work I was producing.
Furthermore, when you love what you do, you’ll endeavor to learn something new in addition to spending quality time to improve the work. I say this because rational minds don’t invest time and resources in what they don’t like. There’s a saying, if you want to know a man, give money, women and power. One of them would like to subdue him, but if he’s able to overcome them, he is a man.
This principle of loving what you do cuts across all facets of life whether we are taking care of families, academics, religion purpose, health, career, finance and even spiritual life. For families a man/woman who is intentional in building their family, must love their family and loving their family intends sacrificing for the family.
For health, if one loves their health, they won’t take harmful substances, just because they love their health; they will be intentional in exercising, and in doing so, they must love exercising. For finance, an intentional person must spend time learning about stock, budgeting and investment. These are avenues to show that they have interest in growing their income. Even in spiritual life, when one shows interest in loving God in truth and spirit, God has a way of coming through for them because they have been tested and trusted. This is simply how life works. Even in relationships if one loves their partner, there’s a high probability they would like to invest time and resources into that relationship.
In summary, endeavor to love what you do because there’s a certain level of spiritual strength, blessings and corresponding opportunities that’s associated with success, when one loves what they do. This is basically how life works.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer and author of Design Your Destiny- Actualizing Your Birthright to Success, Unleash Your Destiny and The Six Pillars of Success . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
The Osun State Government has approached the High Court of Osun State seeking an order compelling security agencies to investigate Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi over his alleged threats against members and supporters of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The suit, marked HOS/M.157/26, was filed on August 12, 2026, at the Osogbo Judicial Division, three days before the August 15 election.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada (SAN), filed the application seeking an Order of Mandamus against the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command. Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District, was listed as the person affected or interested party.
The government said its action followed a video circulating on social media in which Fadahunsi was allegedly captured addressing a political gathering in front of the Owa Obokun’s Palace in Ilesha on August 11.
According to the court documents, the senator allegedly made statements interpreted as calls for violence against members of the Accord Party.
The government said a transcript and translation of the speech showed Fadahunsi allegedly directing supporters to attack Accord members wherever they encountered them and making threats against their families.
The court filings also alleged that the senator instructed his supporters to chase Accord members out of hotels where they were found and made derogatory comments about the party’s yellow caps.
The government further alleged that Fadahunsi threatened that the election would not hold if Accord members resisted the actions of APC supporters.
The Attorney-General is asking the court to compel the police to investigate the video and determine whether the alleged statements constitute criminal offences under applicable laws.
The government is also seeking an order directing the police to preserve, authenticate and conduct a forensic examination of the complete video to establish whether it has been altered or edited.
Other reliefs sought include compelling the police to take preventive measures to protect Accord candidates, members and voters from intimidation or harassment before, during and after the election.
The government also wants the police to ensure that registered voters and Accord supporters are not prevented from accessing hotels or other locations during the electoral period.
It further asked the court to order the respondents to submit a report on compliance with the court’s directives within 48 hours of the orders being granted.
In the supporting affidavit, Nurudeen Kareem, Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Legal Matters, said Accord members had expressed “reasonable and legitimate concerns regarding their safety and security before, during, and after the forthcoming election.”
The government argued that the police have a statutory responsibility under the Police Act 2020 and the 1999 Constitution to prevent crime and maintain public order.
It maintained that waiting until violence occurs before investigating an alleged public threat would undermine the preventive role of law enforcement.
“The Applicant believes that waiting until actual violence, deaths, or injuries occur before investigating an alleged public instruction to kill political opponents would amount to a dereliction of duty,” the government said.
The Attorney-General also clarified that the suit was not asking the court to determine Fadahunsi’s criminal guilt, stressing that such a determination would require a proper criminal trial.
Rather, the government said it was seeking to compel the police to carry out their statutory responsibilities and take appropriate preventive action.
With the election scheduled for Saturday, the government said “time is of the absolute essence”, warning that failure to act on the alleged threats could expose residents to “irreparable harm, loss of life, and widespread civil unrest.”
Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the Tinubu administration against militarising the Osun governorship election or using state institutions for partisan gain.
Speaking at the ADC National Youth Leadership Summit in Abuja on Wednesday, Atiku said the Osun poll “is a test” of Nigeria’s ability to conduct credible elections ahead of 2027.
He said the scale of security deployment ahead of the August 15 election looked more like preparation for war than a democratic exercise.
“Elections are civil engagements, not military operations. Ballot papers are not bullets. Voters are not enemy combatants. Opposition members are not insurgents,” Atiku said.
He also questioned why the same level of security was not being deployed against terrorists, kidnappers and bandits attacking communities across the country.
Atiku cautioned INEC against “mysterious glitches, unexplained delays or manipulation” and demanded timely delivery of materials, unhindered voting, honest counting and transparent transmission of results.
“The police belong to Nigeria. The military belongs to Nigeria. INEC belongs to the Nigerian people. None of them belongs to the APC,” he said.
“The world is watching Osun. Nigerians are watching. History is taking notes. Let the people vote. Let every vote count. And let the will of the people prevail.”
Atiku also raised fresh concerns over the Chicago State University certificate submitted to INEC by President Bola Tinubu.
He alleged discrepancies in the document, noting that one version bears June 22, 1979, while another linked to CSU records bears June 27, 1979, with reported differences in signatures and the description of the degree.
He further questioned why the names and signatures of university officials who assumed office years after 1979 reportedly appear on documents dated 1979 and asked whether they were replacement certificates and who authorised them.
Citing Section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution on disqualification for presenting a forged certificate to INEC, Atiku said the exact document submitted to INEC must be authenticated.
“Who produced the certificate Tinubu submitted to INEC? When was it produced? Who authorised it? Why does it differ from the other version, and does Chicago State University authenticate the exact document submitted to INEC?” he asked.
“If a young Nigerian would be required to explain such discrepancies before getting an ordinary job, why should the man seeking Nigeria’s highest job be exempt from the same standard?”
On youth participation, Atiku pledged that at least 30 per cent of legislative candidates under his political programme would be below 40 years, with a significant number below 30.
He charged young Nigerians to “Register. Organise. Lead” and turn frustration into political action.
“Anger is not an organisation. A hashtag is not an organisation,” he said.
“Your time is not tomorrow. Your time is now.”
