I
n recent weeks, I have followed
with real curiosity the efforts
Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, a Havard
trained lawyer and Executive Direc-
tor, Spaces for Change, is making
to document factors that propelled
political activism in the country way
back in the 80s and 90s. As part of
that observation, I have read with in-
terest various commentaries, opinion
and reactions by those she inter-
viewed-largely made up of former
staff/volunteers of the Nigerian fore-
most Human Rights organization- the
famous Civil Liberty Organization
(CLO).
Essentially, a careful analysis of the
subject matter and responses in some
ways provides insight to what helped
activism in that era (1980s/90s), to
flourish.
To use the words of Felix Morka, Ex-
ecutive Director, Social and Econom-
ic Rights Action Centre (SERAC), “in
the 80s and 90s, activism emerged out
of severe necessity. The civic space
was completely closed and something
had to be done to forcefully open the
doors of democratic expression and
engagement. Then, activists acted
out of the deep commitment to free
up the civic space, and many of them
paid severe price for it”
Also, to YZ Yau, director of CITAD,
repression associated with military
rule informed the focus of activism of
the 80s and 90s. But, now that we say
we have democracy, do citizens enjoy
these rights? Can somebody travel
from Abuja to Kaduna or Rigasa
without fear of being kidnapped,
killed or shot by bandits?
The right to life, in particular, now
has a question mark. Can somebody
facing such threats claim to have the
right to life? The issues we advocat-
ed for many years ago haven’t been
resolved and still beg for meaningful
solutions. The police is not account-
able to anybody. The army is not
accountable to anybody. This is not
what democracy should look like.
We cannot promote democracy in an
environment where human rights are
not respected.
Arguably a well articulated obser-
vation by these men that fully partici-
pated in challenging, questioning and
through the process breath human
value constantly into the prevailing
ideologies of their time and shared
with others the wisdom of their own
experience. Indeed, from their testi-
monies, repression associated with
military rule informed the focus of
activism in the past.
Indeed, they fought about the right
to organize, the right to free expres-
sion, the right to assemble freely, the
right to free movement and ulti-
mately, the right to life. And today,
they are daily celebrated at the global
stage; they have interesting things to
say. They forced the military to leave,
and that was precisely part of the role
they were expected to play
Unfortunately, however, when
the military left, the activists also
abandoned Nigerians and the absence
without any nation building pro-
gramme directly allowed politicians
the opportunity to use sophisticated
means to manipulate public opinion
as well as selectively control infor-
mation relevant to decision making
process in our democracy. Aside
from loosing the political ground,
their departure intrinsically handed
Nigerians over to politicians and the
experience quoting Richard Templar
has been unpleasant, selfish, narrow
minded and petty as their antics
invariably involves intimidating peo-
ple,being sly, getting things done by
lying and other dishonest means.
Comparatively, the greatest irony
is that while the vast majority of
activists of the 80s/90s, for yet to
be identified reason(s) currently
watch the nation’s affairs from the
political galleries, efforts by the new
generation activists to create a more
human and humane Nigeria are daily
rebuffed, frustrated or religated to
the background by both the state and
Federal governments.
Consider this disgraceful treatment
reported in depth at a function in
Lagos by a peace advocate in the Ni-
ger Delta region, of how in 2008, he,
and some Niger Delta youth leaders
in different communities/ kingdoms,
with sincere effort to promote Martin
Lurther Kings Jr’s non-violence
philosophy/education developed
a template for training of youths in
the region- an initiative similar to
what is today celebrated as amnesty
programme.
But unfortunately, this ‘noble and
sublime initiative’ had not gone
without opposition from the mili-
tants as many of the proponents were
intimidated, humiliated, kidnapped,
beaten and their families threatened
for working against their violence
ideologies in the region. Despite this
persecution, the government at both
the state and Federal levels were all
too silent that no effort was made
to secure their release or words of
sympathy and encouragement sent to
their families.
Certainly, history will surely judge
our leaders.
But while we wait, the questions
before us as a nation are; what can we
do to make the olden days activists to
come down from the Olympian highs
and merge today’s civil activism to
make political action more effective?
How can we bring back the experi-
ences of the activism of the 80s and
90s and maximize the gains of the
past? How can civil and political
activism work together to take our
great nation to the ‘next level’? Who
will tell our ex-activists watching the
political affairs of our nation from the
balcony that activism is necessary but
not sufficient as political participation
is essential?
How will Nigerians communicate
to our policy makers that; if achiev-
ing a people-purposed leadership or
building effective justice system form
part of our dreams, then, the nation
needs to look for ways to co-opt the
likes of Olisa Agbakogba, who is the
founding father of the Civil Liberty
Organization, Clement Nwankwor,
Professor Chidi Odinkalu, Femi
Falana, Richard Akinnola and other
Nigerians blessed with the spirit of
the late Chief Gani Fawehinimi.
Similarly, if promotion of peace in
Niger Delta and youth’s empowerment
forms our objective as a nation, then, we
urgently need to search out personali-
ties-the likes of Victoria-Ibezim Ohaeri,
who was at the fore front pushing for
the passage of the Petroleum Indus-
try Governance Bill (PIGB) by the
outgone 8th Assembly. And other peace
advocates in the region that are not just
familiar with, but well respected. People
who are committed and are develop-
ment-minded, and not representatives
of one political godfather or the other, to
champion such initiative.
