Four Years Since October 20; Remembering the #EndSARS Victims

A question boggling the minds of many young Nigerians is this: what else would rescue them from the hands of bad governance if protesting doesn’t work? Four years ago, young Nigerians took to many streets in Nigeria, flags and hands in the air, matching to protest against police brutality, and just at a time when it seemed as though their voices were being heard, as though they would get justice for the unfair treatments they’ve experienced in the hands of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a Nigerian Police Force unit, on the 2oth of October, they were met with gunfire and tear gas at Lekki Toll Gate — an event so brutal it became a massacre. The Lekki Massacre.

Nigerian youths led the #EndSARS peaceful protest with a clear objective: to end police brutality and violence across the country. Unfortunately, many hopes and lives were shattered and the call for justice was met with increased violence, culminating in a tragic event when the Nigerian army opened fire on protesters waving the national flag in Lekki. Since this massacre, the historical struggle for justice has been marked by little acknowledgement of the lives lost, and a barrage of gaslighting, lies, and manipulation from the government and authorities responsible for protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians.

As much as the government was gaslighting Nigerian youths that the protest did not happen, there are several pieces of undeniable evidence. There are names of the lives lost and we will continue to remember them; a young Nigerian standing in the distance and watching as the protest unfolded yet, was met with a bullet; a young Nigerian who tweeted “Nigeria will not end me” and lost his life in the course for struggle just within 24 hours of making the tweet and many others, who did not even partake in the protest but lost their lives. That pronounces how necessary and justified the protest was. Yet. And yet. And yet.

But we will never forget; the names of the lost lives, the massacre and every single person who continues to lend their to the #EndSARS protest.

Since October 20, 2020, numerous creative works — such as tweets, books, movies, songs, and documentaries — have been created to honour the event and the memory of those who lost their lives for the cause. These works aim to ensure an accurate representation of their deaths and the #EndSARS protests.

There is Chude Jideowo‘s Awaiting Trial, a documentary that follows the lives of 3 people held unjustly by the Nigerian Police. It explores this unique blend of injustice and inequity that led to the global #EndSARs protests.

There is Burna Boy‘s 20 10 20, a song that directly addresses the Lekki Toll Gate shooting on October 20, 2020, during the #EndSARS protests. It includes the voices of protesters and the shooting from the Nigerian Army. This emotional song is important because it brings back, even when we seem to forget, the horrible event.

There is  Sọ̀rọ̀sóke: An #EndSARS Anthology a digital archive of poetry on the EndSARS movement of 2020 on BrittlePaper. This print edition of the anthology rearticulates a similar poetics of resistance, emphasising the activist voice of a new generation of writers resisting the tyranny of silence and state violence.

It has been four years, and the journey feels distant. However, we honour those who have worked hard to ensure that this movement and the cherished memories of those we have lost remain alive. We appreciate everyone who continues to lend their voices to the cause, advocating for justice and honouring the deceased through their actions and words.

Let us continue demanding justice for our friends and families whose lives have been cut short, for those who have been mutilated, for individuals whose lives have been disrupted, and for the generations yet unborn. Sending love and light to us all.

#EndSARS!