#EndSARS: The Urgency Of Rehabilitating The So-called Hoodlums -By Temitope Martins

According to National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria is rated the poverty capital of the world. This is not to be so in a country vastly blessed with natural and mineral resources. With the bad governance, corruption, lack of rule of law and impunity led-leadership , Nigeria isn’t having any hopes of being better . The country has always had and presented bad leadership at different spheres I.e Federal, State, Local government. But what seems to be problem ? Is it that the electoral process itself is a fraud?

There is this major fraction of young Nigerians or population without a higher education/formal education that always show their appearance at important notes, events in the country as they do not want to be left out . Who are they? Hoodlums became a trending word during the ENDSARS protest. I must say Hoodlums have always existed before now but in the names of agbero, thugs , political thugs etc .  According to the Oxford Dictionary, hoodlum is defined as a rough or violent youth, a gangster or a hired thug . It therefore means, hoodlums could be in whatever organization, either corporate of informal  .Even the men in uniform could pass for  hoodlums if they are hired/ violent/ rough or take part in crime or hooliganism . We could also have the  hoodlums in Police, Army, Navy, Airforce, other paramilitary organizations & the society at large.

The presence of this section of population are noticeable in Political Party conventions, meetings, peaceful protests, Elections, and any other social gatherings even with/without an invitation .

A News Media quoted that a government official said Agberos aka Hoodlums won’t be banned in lagos as they are our brothers, cousins and relations etc. During the protests, hoodlums also were noticeable in trying to attack and disrupt protests. After the protests, the same hoodlums decided loot shops, stores, markets to burn down buildings and cause mayhem in the country.  This just signifies that we had better reform the hoodlums or create more menace of what they are called.

Nigerians then clamoured for a speech from the president, after the speech hoodlums continued to loot palliatives, and create more mayhem. The president praised himself for doing well and re-iterated the plan to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty through Opportunities for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises MSME Survival fund, registration of businesses, grant to artisans, guaranteeing traders market, Farmermoni, TraderMoni, Market Moni, Npower , Ntech , NAgro and other programmes .

During the Elections, the so called political thugs or hoodlums are used by politicians to hijack, burn ballot boxes and disrupt the election process . The government has good programmes to lift some Nigerians out of poverty but how about this section that’s always clamoring for presence. The hoodlums don’t understand the basic programmes or intention of government but he who has the capacity to sponsor/pay them. Politicians also welcome the habit of sponsoring them.

Where did we get it wrong ? Hoodlums don’t understand President Muhammad Buhari speech. Hoodlums don’t do Npower, Hoodlums don’t do Ntech, or whatever empowerment programmes the federal government has in place. So no matter the billions of money put in place by the government for programmes, it does nothing to help, reform or improve the welfare of hoodlums. Hoodlums are basically the most vulnerable in the society and responsible government of countries take care of their most vulnerable. Hoodlums is as a result of the failure of government to put a functional, affordable education and welfare system for all. The same government won’t ban them, but sponsor them during election and other events, use them to their evil advantage then frown at them when they are in opposition.

Hoodlums are Nigerians and will be Nigerians but how is government reaching out to the most vulnerable in the society. People that won’t mind stealing/looting, being violent before they can feed. They need to be rehabilitated. If the government is on the mission to being a civilized nation, they need to rehabilitate hoodlums.  The Lagos state government has rolled out a huge fund for business and employment programs for youths through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund. How do these programs reach the hoodlums considering their illiteracy and educational background. I think the government is loosing focus on how to reach out to this major fraction in the society.

The government needs to create a system of informal/adult education  to rehabilitate , re -educate or reorientate hoodlums . Having passed through the informal education sector for  a period. They would be able to key into the programs of the federal and state government. Without proper informal/Formal education, they would still be induced and manipulated to create mayhem in the society. Hoodlums should be rehabilitated, their positions in the society at parks, streets should be heightened . By this way, government policies and programmes will be able to reach them .

“The children of the poor you failed to train (educate) will never let your children live in peace…” – Chief Obafemi Awolowo.