WE MUST STILL MARCH

We MUST still march because it is about time that Nigerians get more involved in what is happening around them. We need more people to get out of their houses, offices and cars and INTERVENE! We are being led by a group of incompetents even if some good people are among their number. As a government at any level they have been unable to get their act together, and put public interest and even enlightened self-interest before their selfish interest and partisan politics. Look at the result.

Robbers, kidnappers, terrorists, looters and rapists don't ask first what tribe you are from or what religion you practice before they strike. We are ALL at risk. It is Chibok today; it could be Ijanikin in Lagos State tomorrow. No school is safe! Whether it is one girl or 200 girls the fact remains that our female teenage students are being targeted and neither their institutions nor their government can protect them.

Imagine shutting down the economy of our capital for three days to host the World Economic Forum! The irony is that the theme of the forum is youth empowerment, yet they cannot even protect our youths while they are still in school not to mention empowering them. Ridiculous! Perhaps this timing is perfect and SHAME will force them to take REAL and CONCRETE steps instead of just setting up yet another committee. Meanwhile all economic activities have been shut down in Abuja as they are having an economic summit. Is this not a joke? This is an opportunity to show what small economic activities we have but no. They shut us down. They stop us from working, from earning a living.

Nigerians, wake up. Meet with your neighbors and decide how you will protect yourselves, visit your local police station head and ask what precautionary security measures have been put in place in your area. Report 'hot spots' where people hang about all day drinking, doing drugs and gambling. Keep reporting them until they are SHUT DOWN. Alert your gateman and local tradespeople to spot strangers and challenge them about what they are doing in the area. Do not take the law into your own hands but be alert and report anything suspicious.  Our lives and safety are in OUR own hands, no one else's – clearly.  

The next step is to STRIP all those politicians of their security votes and transfer the money to State Police Commands instead. We should fight for this. The commands are local to us and we will thereby be able to monitor it better. This security vote system has obviously become a tool of corruption perpetrated by our politicians. The insecurity we are experiencing is a result of diverted funds. That money should go to the people who have the duty and training to keep us safe and are putting their lives at risk every day to do so.

Anyone stealing police welfare or pension money should receive the maximum sentence!

There is no point 'facing your front' - doing your job, running your business - to make a living that can be seized from you at any moment; to send children to school who can be abducted any day; to enjoy yourself when a bomb can blow you up any time.

And don't be discouraged or allow your cynicism about the noises different politicians are presently making to discourage you. Make SOME effort. I marched to The Three Arms Zone on May 5th, 2014, what did you do about the security situation in our country? Imagine if one of those kidnapped girls was yours. Would you be able to sleep now? I would not. Imagine if you were at the Nyanya bus station. We cannot live like this.

The rest of the world is outraged and are demonstrating on our behalf. They say that charity starts at home. Please stand up and let us fight for our survival. We should let the government know that their primary function is to secure us and if they cannot do that then they have no business leading us. Say NO to incompetent and uncaring governments, and say NO to Boko Haram.