We Must Be Genuinely Focused on the Golden Objective of our Peaceful Struggle

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Photo credit: The Nations Newspaper, 2020.


By Ogiri John Ogiri

I am appalled at the way our peaceful struggle has so far been taken over by hoodlums masquerading as protesters who now go about killing freely and cheaply our brothers and sisters for whom this protest was originally intended to assist. It does not make sense that a well-intentioned protester will allow his or her emotion to degenerate into animalistic demeanour which we have seen operationalized in the killing of his or fellow country man or woman as well as in the current attacks on people's businesses and our national assets. I do not believe a genuine protester will do that. Only hoodlums can do such a thing.
No genuine protester will gladly attack the people's businesses like banks, shopping malls and other properties belonging to the people. No genuine protester will allow anger to overrun his or her genuine compassion for the same police we are trying to see in good shape. We must understand that, the police and other security operatives, just like us, are all victims of the same systemic decay. So why kill them? In fact, you cease being a genuine protester the day you start killing your brother just because he is wearing a police uniform. 
You cease being a genuine protester the day you start destroying public infrastructural and superstructural facilities and assets.
Be a peaceful protester even in the face of obvious provocations from the authority. That is how we can win. 
For, though, in violence we may make it happen faster, yet in the end, we must bear in mind that our collective struggle for a better country will be lost and buried in the debris of our own infrastructure.
We must therefore be peaceful in our approach.  Non-violent but persistent struggle is the way to go. Yes, in peace, we can make things change gradually but steadily so that we can triumph in the end without suffering the loss of lives of our brothers and of our hard-earned collective assets.
We must be genuinely focused on the objective of our peaceful struggle for a better country. 
May the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace!
Shalom!

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