Younger people calling on Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka and prominent rights activist, Mr Femi Falana (SAN) to lead mass protests against the situation in Nigeria are driven by complete lack of any sense of history, the Nigerian Human Rights Community, (NHRC) said at the weekend.
A coalition of civil society and community-based organisations in Nigeria is speaking out against mock video clips that falsely accuse two human rights activists of remaining silent on the country’s issues.
The group believes these critics are misinformed and driven by a mix of ignorance, lack of education, and ethnic prejudice.
Essentially, they’re saying that these young people are unfairly targeting the activists, who have dedicated their lives to fighting for human rights and social justice in Nigeria.
The group asked youths to emulate Mr Omoyele Sowore who from age 19 has dedicated his live to the fight for justice and equity both at home and abroad
“We wish to remind this people, mostly young people that their actions constitute a drawback to the rich heritage of democratic struggle the two figures represent in the history of Nigeria,” it said.
“The problem with most young people is either they don’t read, they lack any sense of history or are ridiculously lacking in knowledge,” the NHRC said in a statement signed by its officials, Taiwo Adeleke and Digifa Werenipre.
“We urge younger ones to learn from Mr Omoyele Sowore and emulate his sterling contributions to democracy and justice for over 30 years of his life. Study the sacrifices and risks he has taken instead of dedicating their lives to condemnation of Soyinka and Falana do or what they did not do.”
The group said both Soyinka and Falana began to fight for justice through rallies, legal advocacy and street protests since their early 20s urging the young critics to emulate them by following the examples of sacrifices and personal suffering they have endured in the struggle to free Nigeria from the fetters or iron.
The group said it is untrue that Soyinka and Falana have been quiet after Bola Tinubu emerged President in 2023, adding that the critics are just too blind to admit the positive roles being played by the two icons.
It said, “Some of them believe the word activism makes sense only when speaking in support of Obidients indicating their narrow mindset about what it means to change a country for the better.
“Soyinka began the struggle at 21 while Falana started even earlier. Both have put in between 45 to 65 years of their lifetime in the ceaseless and tireless struggle for a better Nigeria at the risk of their lives.
“These young, ignorant, misguided critics who spend most of their time in either parties, beer parlours or on the social media should stop expecting a 90-year-old man to set agenda for the generation of young people in their 20s who have better equipment and advanced technology to fight for justice but have rather converted the medium to pouring venom on leaders that have made genuine sacrifices in the most difficult period of Nigerian history.
“Soyinka took part in street demonstrations even in his 90s. It is time for him to rest. Falana has continued to fight several battles for Nigerians of all ethnicity, fought for justice for armed and defenceless peoples alike.”
“His son led the ENDSARS struggle while his father provided legal services for hundreds of detained ENDSARS protesters. Falana has several cases against the current government of President Bola Tinubu while he also took part in a series of protests up to 2024. It is naive and unjust even to the point of irresponsibility to seek to stretch the two men beyond physical and moral limits,” the group said.
It described the critics as timid and cowardly, saying they are never bold enough to march on the streets but are swift to condemn older people that have risked their lives countless times in the struggle for a greater country.
The NHRC said on a daily basis the office of Mr Falana is “overwhelmed by meritorious and pro bono services to thousands of oppressed people and communities across the country including many he has saved from death after they had been erroneously sentenced to death”.
The group said, “We are seeing a generation of lousy, lazy and completely ignorant youths whose basic agenda is to destroy Nigerian heroes thereby serving the interests of the Government and the ruling class who oppress Nigerians.
“It is not impossible that many of them are paid to demystify Nigerian true heroes in order to diminish the mass-based support they command among Nigerians and the fact that they seek to blackmail heroes who truly represent the suffering masses.
“When Soyinka and Falana were younger, they did not look up to the older generation to liberate them. They rather discovered the mission of their own generation and fulfilled it.
“Instead of taking up the profession of attacking the older generation, Soyinka and Falana rather built on and improved on the legacy of the heroes of their time and surpassed their records.
“We challenge those young critics to provide alternatives. We challenge you to lead the battle for the freedom of your generation.
“We challenge you to take the bull by the horns and provide alternative leadership for change instead of taking up the professional duty of running down those that have established milestones in the struggle for a better Nigeria.”
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