Before embarking on a protest or an agitation that might be unprofitable to not only an Armed but constituted Authority, It’s expedient that the agitators have an all encompassing framework that will highlight all their demands therein.

This can only be realistic if the agitators have a selfless leadership structure that has the propensity of brokering a deal with their counterpart. Despite the fact that the #EndSARS Protesters didn’t possess a defined leadership structure, their initial demands were magnanimously granted by the Government. The only thing that was left for them to do was to produce leaders to facilitate a proper realization of these demands with the Government.

During the first week of the   #EndSARS Protests, Doyin Okupe observed the landmark achievement made by the #EndSARS Protesters and cautioned them that for this achievement to be sustained, there’s a need for the #EndSARS Protesters to produce leaders that will facilitate with the Government in actualising a smooth and unhinged reformation of the already disbanded Police Special  Unit and even the Ngerian Police Force itself. Rather than heeding to his righteous advise, they told him to keep shut and emphasised that they don’t need leaders as they’re all leaders. They insisted that their demands must be met by the Government and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. When I saw this on Twitter, I laughed!.

Where they got it all wrong and ultimately shut themselves on the foot was

when they started agitating for demands that weren’t initially contained or were entirely alien to the initial demands that sparked the #EndSARS Protests. Unprecedentedly, they started agitating for #EndSWAT, #EndBadGovernance, #BuhariMustGo et al. Believing that they can cow or blackmail the Government. Despite the crystal fact that some of the new agitations contained elements of treason, it can also be argued that they were reasonably justified considering the untold hardship we are witnessing in the country. However, this is against every tenet of diplomacy, spirit of Sportsmanship and good faith that can dent good working relationship between Parties but also, has the capability of creating social discord and bad coexistence in a society with conflicting interests. This wasn’t only reckless but a clear indicator of an agitation that’s lacking a defined leadership structure. Blackmailing the Government to get more from them just because you won a battle? Who does that?. Had it been that a good leadership structure is in place, the leaders will definitely know when a battle is won and when it is worthwhile to retreat, but the #EndSARS Protesters saw themselves as Olympian gods that can’t be untouched, dwelling in their Mount Olympus on the major highways and roads they blocked while agitating for further demands. This evidently became their undoing as the Government carefully and systematically infiltrated their firewalls/defences which ultimately triggered the social unrests we’re witnessing in the country just now.

This scenario can be likened to the story of the fictional character of Robb Stark, the Young Wolf and the King in the North in the popular HBO Tv series; Game of Thrones!. As Lord Tywin Lannister rightly observed that the reason why he was bold was simply because the young and embittered King in the North hasn’t lost a battle. Indeed, loosing battle begat experience, embracing diplomacy and being strategic when necessary. But just as we witnessed in Game of Thrones, the War of the Five (5) Kings wasn’t necessarily won on the battlegrounds but through tact deployed by the wise and ruthless Lord Tywin Lannister while having an impeccable knowledge of his enemy’s weaknesses. Just as how Robb Stark was reckless in victory, breaching the pact he had with Lord Walder Frey, the Protesters didn’t know when to stop protesting. Just as how the Lannisters infiltrated the North by reaching a deal with Lord Roose Bolton to kill his King and become Warden of the North, the Government infiltrated the Youths/People and they rose up against one another, lacking collective Civic responsibility with cases of looting and banditry. Aside the lekki tollgate shootings, the battle of #EndSARS wasn’t won in battlement but via tactics deployed by the Government.

My candid Prayer is that the Government should live up to expectations and with rare show of honour and fulfil the initial promises made to the #EndSARS Protesters to reform not only the Special Robbery Unit of the Nigerian Police Force but reforming the Police Force in its entirety. If the Government ignore to do the needful due to the fact that they defeated the Protesters on a contextual parlance, this will be disastrous not only to the #EndSARS Protesters, (Lives and Properties lost thus far) but to every living Nigerian and the unborn!.

Peace Profound and a Happy Sunday.

Omoigui Nosayaba Douglas Esq.

25/10/2020.