Year (2020) In Review; Social Uprisings in Africa.
The resonance of youthful voices demanding change all across Africa has been one that cannot continue to be ignored .
The year 2020 was largely defined by a number of such uncensored protest led by highly energetic young people. Even the cold hands of COVID 19, couldn’t silence social uprisings and activism.
For a period, social distancing moved protest from the usual gatherings on street to social media. As Covid-19 cases surged in many cities of the world, lockdowns became intensified following various legislations that made it a crime to disobey laid down protocols.
In Malaysia, more than 4,000 people were arrested in a day for violating virus lockdown orders, marking the toughest law enforcement action in Southeast Asia after the Philippines, where the president encouraged police to shoot offenders.
In Ghana, individuals were fined up to GHC 120,000 for breaking COVID protocols.
However, the killing of George Floyd, an African-American man by the Minneapolis police was the beginning of widespread anti-lockdown ‘vaccines’ and civil disobedience, resulting in thousands taking onto the streets- defying every laid down protocol.
The case was not any different on the African continent. EndSARS movement led by thousands of Nigerian youths to disband a rogue police unit known as Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) gained weight and shook the very existence of our social fabric.
It is worthy to note that alleged robbery, attacks and murder of civilians by security forces is a no-new-news on the African soil and for that matter, Nigeria. But this year’s protest which begun in October was quintessential.
To many, this event was what they will describe in diaries as a bold ‘red-letter’ epoch. The protest became even more notable when Nigerian youths created a hashtag #ENDSARS to create awareness on police brutality and extortion.
Shockingly, The world’s most enviable democracy, the United States of America was on the polls to electing the most powerful man on earth : The POTUS but this time the POTUS couldn’t defeat #ENDSARS hashtags on various social media platforms.
The #ENDSARS trended number 1 on Twitter and was the most discussed topic on social media .
Personalities such as Hilary Clinton, Kanye West, Beyoncé and Jack Dorsey of Twitter took onto their timelines to express their gross dissatisfaction.
Others such as Burna Boy, a Nigerian Afro-beats singer joined an online petition to stop Nigerian politicians from entering the United Kingdom.
In Uganda and most other countries in Africa, protest was king.
Charles Moyela, a seasoned Media expert and renowned leader whilst speaking on the subject in Episode 3 of the Change Africa Podcast says such protest and movements can be a transformative and defining moments for the many youth on the African continent struggling for dignity and livelihood. He further described the ENDSARS protest as a campaign not against the police but a movement of young people fighting for their rights and privileges that police personnel already enjoy : conditions of service, remuneration, safety and dignity.
He defines ENDSARS as a local activity that became a global campaign with the power of technology. He advised the youth to learn to be strategic, participatory and more active in governance.
As the curtains finally draws down onto 2020, one thing remains certain : every living soul will never forget how eventful the year was.
From Mask to SARS, a lot is there for posterity to be told.
Edited by : Nathaniel Konadu Opoku
Writer : Gabriel Sackitey