Today marks the one year memorial of the alleged Lekki toll gate massacre of 20-10-2020, in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Many social commentators and political analysts have opined that is vital for the Judiciary Panel of Enquiry in each state to ensure that justice is served at all cost, and that even more importantly, those that had allegedly lost their lives at the Lekki toll gate #Endsars protest# be identified, given a face and their families adequately compensated where applicable. And indeed justices to all those that have suffered police brutality in one way or another.
It is important that such victims be given proper identities, because as a nation we must as a matter of national duty and honor deviate from identifying human life statistically, because this is what we see almost every other day.
We see galant soldiers combating insurgency in the North east region sometimes suffer major attack and their lives are lost in the line of duty, yet they are not recorded based on their names or heroic deeds rather they are referred to as mere numbers in the statistics.
We must as a nation appreciate those that have duly paid the ultimate price in service to our nation. We must give credit to those who have lost their lives fighting for the betterment of our nation, fighting for the stability and survival of our democracy, too.
These are the people that are truly the heroes of democracy, the heroes of our Country, these are the true Statesmen, and not those in authority that are complicit in heinous crime against this Nation, yet parading themselves as Statesmen.
It is therefore important that we honor true patriots by recognizing their sacrifices, give commendations, national awards and if possible immortalize them. So that when the history of our nation is written for generations to come, and the history is is taught, there be should be a special place for our heroes of democracy and nation building.
This will go a long way to serve as a clarion call for other citizens to follow.
Joseph Egbara
CJN Political Correspondent
Abuja