The present government of Nigeria, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, needs to ask for forgiveness for trivialising the memory of October 20. If they do not do so today with dignity, they will be compelled to do so tomorrow in shame.
Defining moments in history always have consequences, and those consequences are often not fully understood in the present.
General Ibrahim Babangida, now in his late 80s, is perhaps one of the best people to explain the consequences of June 12. Today, it is a chapter of history filled with regrets for him, and he has asked Nigerians for forgiveness. Yet, even his book cannot rewrite or undo the wrongs of the past.
I strongly believe that, in the not-too-distant future, those who have been threatened into silence about what happened at the Lekki Toll Gate will find the courage to speak out.
What strikes me most is that the Nigerian national flag could not protect those young Nigerians.
Those at the toll gate believed that the Nigerian flag was both a symbol of protection and a shield against violence. They held it as a symbol of their faith in their country.
I still wonder whether those who fired shots through the national flag at the young men and women gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate will ever be able to return to normal life. I also believe that, one day, some of them will find the courage to speak about the trauma they experienced.
Trauma manifests at different levels, and its effects are not always immediately visible.
The day is coming, and it may not be far away, when the anniversary of
#EndSARS will receive the historical recognition it deserves: as the day Nigerian youths stood up against the abuse of power in a courageous effort to reclaim their country.
History may be delayed, but it cannot be silenced.
“During EndSars massacre, a guy held me, took the bullet and died!”—
Woman shares her story.