#ENDSARS

Photo: Yagazie Emezi // IG: @yagazieemezi

What Happened and Why: 

Reeling from the shock of what's going on in Nigeria, Temi didn't post too much about it on her own Instagram. Instead, she got routine updates from her mum, who lives in Lagos, and digested it all as best she could. At the start, her conversations with her mum went from being so proud of the Nigerian youth for staging such impactful, organized and powerful protests and then worry and fear about how overnight things took a dark, depraved turn. 

On October 20 following an impromptu 24-hour curfew announcement, peaceful protesters gathered at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, a frequent spot for youth to gather and protest police brutality. In the evening, security cameras were reportedly removed from the toll gate and surrounding lights turned off. That is when the Nigerian military, recently called in by President Muhammadu Buhari, started shooting into the crowd. Several protesters were injured and killed.

This did not stop the mostly young protestors who stayed at the toll gate, singing the national anthem and waving white and green flags.  Buhari has still not issued a comment while so many in Nigeria and around the world call for him to step down.

Since early October, Nigeria has been protesting against SARS : the Special Anti-Robbery Squad which is a unit of the Nigerian Police Force. Originally created to combat corruption, it has since been the cause of the corruption and much more. With accounts of violence, torture, ill treatment to name a few, Nigerians are protesting against this ongoing police brutality. 

What Now:

With the recent US Black Lives Matter protests as a backdrop, Nigerian youth which make up 43% of the population, have taken to the streets using social media to spread their message: #ENDSARS. This includes Burna Boy (@burnaboygram) whose billboards are popping up all over the country. And just like them, Pembroke PR will use its platform to continue the conversation, the fight to end police brutality. Just as we did in the US. You can too. Head to our stories and highlights, to learn more about SARS and the protests, and see how you can help. Use #endsars and #istandwithnigerianyouth when you protest and post to continue spreading the message. Here are a few helpful Instagram accounts to find more information and how you can help: @eienigeria @feminist.co @representcollaborative @natgeo @theslacktivists @antiracismdaily

In The Meantime:

While we have eyes on Nigeria, it's a great time to learn more about the history and culture. In tandem with Nigeria celebrating 60 years of independence earlier this year, Temi's brother just launched a new initiative to help a wider audience of people learn more about Nigerian culture. Working with Nigerian teachers, each module will be a short deep dive into various topics. The first one is Oral African Literature. The African literary great have been around a long time. Head to the link below to learn more about Nigerian culture, Yoruba culture in particular. Link here.

Continue learning about Nigeria, and continue fighting to end police brutality, wherever you may be.