How EndSARS protest left toxic footprint in the environment
The state of our Environment calls for concern as it remains a source of hope for peaceful co-existence. Ofcourse, you know that without a peaceful and a healthy environment nothing works well.
In recent years the environment has played numerous roles towards human activities by saving several lives and providing shelter to many Nigerians, but this new resolute by hoodlums has affected the environment negatively and gives way to destruction and conflicts to already existing struggles in an attempt to draw attention to police brutality.
They have claimed lives, property destroyed, rendered many Nigerians Jobless, homeless, and alter many families unity collision, as many men no longer sleep in their homes but taking heels to form a community vigilante to watch over their shops and property.
The protest, and it’s immediate impact on environment has much more to do with our live expectancy.
Do not forget that there are people whose blood pressure, mental health, heart diseases, and all those challenges of health that has to do with emotions, that could easily be triggered, all those people has come under sever pressure, risk, from fear, from anxiety, from worries, that has to do with their safety and security, a Mother who is in Uyo is having sleepless night for her children who is in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna or elsewhere.
A father whose children are in boarding house is so scared and worried what will happen to their children so at the end of the day, tension in the land, fear of the unknown, the Environment is not safe, people are not calm any longer, everyone is afraid and suspicious of one another, all the clam that we had has now eluded us. So, what we have is an uneasy calm in environment and it’s affect every other person.
The uneasy calm will take a length of time to heal. People will have a lot of confident building must come from the National Orientation Agency, a lot of reassurance by the government of the day from the top Abuja, to the state government including local government and our traditional rulers they must be reassurance other wise this state of confusion, this state of increase anxiety about tomorrow, about our children.
The frustrations and anguish in the heart of families who lost their love once or those who are still in the hospitals and other places of health care, the need time for such emotions to be stabilized and build back, for us to have that conjugal environment once again.
Our churches have to reassure their members, religious leaders have to speak to the mind instead of beating the war drums. They should console one another so that in peace we can prosper in a healthy, secured and safe environment.
The protest which was peacefully organized, at a point, became more radical, destructive and cause death in the Environment. The demonstrations tagged “EndSars and bad governance” turned bitter and sore, leaving some part of the environment in a ugly state.
The repeated burning of buildings, and Vehicles in Akwa Ibom State, for instance, has led to elevated levels of certain contaminants in our immediate environment.
In as much as, we all have a right to a safe and healthy community, violence is one of
human Activity that is totally causing more harm to the Environment at this time.
The question is, is it right for the alleged protesters to damage property in the environment?
Knowing fully well the importance of lives and property in the Environment, the ENDSARS protesters planned for a peaceful protest, but was however taken over by hoodlums who employed controversial tactics with plans to harm people and property in the environment.
Up til now, some affected Radio and Tv stations are yet to commence their normal activities in the same environment, which is indirectly affecting people’s Jobs.
All what we need now is a peaceful Environment. Where there is no peace, there is no human activity.
Remember that war is senseless, peace is greatness. If we destroy everything that beautifies our environment what will be left for the future generations. Please let’s take responsibility.
Materials used – Plastics, cardboard papers, banners and all other item, to pass messages and gravities ended up on the ground indiscriminately. This, particularly, most likely ended up in gutters and water channels, and will fine their ways into water bodies like Rivers, streams and lakes. In Lagos, these trashes will all end in the lagoon and when they end in the lagoon I want to assure you that it will infringe on lives and the ecosystem will be imbalance because plastics and materials of that nature are not biodegradable.
With all these in mind, we need to try and avoid those things that will lead to the bitter experiences of the best.
