To The Generation That Has Suffered Much But Mostly In Silence -By Oluwaferanmi Adedeji

I write to you our dear fathers, mothers, aunties and uncles not to inform you of anything you are unaware of but the things you have known for decades. And I hope my open letter to you will be well received.

Of the generations who have been let down by poor governance and draconian leaders, you take the first rows. You have been oppressed and suppressed for more years than we the younger folks have lived. You have watched your loved ones die and suffer loss due to systemic failures. You have had to take loans upon loans to give us a future. You have spent your hard earned money to buy transformers so your communities can have electricity.

Indeed, you have been treated with dishonour and disrespect for too long. You voted in elections that didn’t count, annulled and rigged they were. But your suffering didn’t end with you, it has lingered on. Your children are now suffering the same things. And it’s apparently obvious that even our own children will suffer the same things if we don’t change our fate as a nation.

Things could get worse and they’re in fact getting worse. Corrupt, wicked and incompetent leaders have become emboldened. Emboldened by the inaction and silence of the populace. They have taken you for granted and will stop at nothing to keep all of us subservient forever.

The demonstrations of these past days in different parts of the country are the worst kept secret in the world. Young people have taken to the streets to respectfully ask the government for the right to live, freedom from oppression, end to police brutality, justice for the victims, essentially regard for human dignity and existence. These have been met with jeers and resistance. The narrative created by despicable figures in government is that young people are constituting public nuisance. This narrative is fuelled or permitted by the non-public, active involvement of the older folks.

If this narrative continues to gain strength, we are at a disadvantage in terms of the struggle and even our lives. If you’re displeased with how often the government has taken you for granted, how will the world know if you continue to be silent? If you remain silent, how do we change the direction our fatherland is headed? If the time was now or never, would you rather never than now? Shall we go all the way now and act, or shall we wait for the next generation to suffer the same things we have?

Dare I say, if you have been let down by the irresponsibility and carelessness of the government, now is the time to hear your voice. Here is my plea to you, be brave for you, for us and our born and unborn children. Come out and be heard; the world is watching. We could be up to something. But let those who are pleased with the state of things stand aloof, those who have not been let down.

Regardless, we won’t be backing down this time. Dear comrades, I salute your courage, strong will and exemplary conduct thus far.

Aluta continua! ✊🏽

#EndSars

@FeranmiAdedeji