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Civil Society Movements in a Nation of Contradictions

by admin
March 21, 2020
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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.

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