WAY FORWARD — SPECIAL DEDICATION TO ENDSARS VICTIMS — 20/10/20 SIX YEARS AFTER — SHOULD ELDERS WITHDRAW WHEN STUDIO BECOMES MARKET STALL AND STREET BECOMES BATTLEFIELD?
_Special Dedication — This morning broadcast dedicated to EndSARS victims — 20/10/20 — Six years ago today — Lekki Toll Gate — Young Nigerians who asked for end to brutality and paid with life — And to citizens yesterday 20/10/26 who went peacefully to pay respects and met same brutality — May temple be restored — May market stall and battlefield close._
Prof, good morning. Thank you for your note this morning.
You said with humility you are withdrawing. You are tired of stupidity, village-type malice, primitive warfare. You said writer not different from 90-95% Nigerians you have met. You refuse to be dragged into grievance memory domain.
You said many critics thrive in system they criticise. Don’t know mechanics of development, politics, commerce. Think GAS BAGGING as Australians call it builds nations. Many cheats, abusers privilege. You have been victim severally. Bottom to top pathetic. Do we have sociopaths psychopaths running around?
You said Nigerians have camps, prisoners of camps. Sowunmi doing same Nigerian way. Party leaders except Trump leave attack to surrogates. Those who like see returning attack on principal. Let critic apply same objection to obidients and Sowore followers too. Let politicians play game don’t be emotional.
You asked two sharp questions. Where was critic when journalists abuse privilege insult humiliate intimidate interviewees? Most do no research depend social media. Rufai Oseni disgracing unpolished. How does interviewer on national TV act as opposition spokesperson?
Prof, I feel your fatigue. At 65 last 25 years on this journey and before then I feel it too.
BUT IF ELDERS WITHDRAW, WHO KEEPS TEMPLE? WHO KEEPS STREET SAFE?
Yesterday Oct 20 2026 — Six years after 20/10/20 — Citizens went peacefully to Lekki to pay respects to EndSARS victims. Same brutality returned. Teargas, beatings, arrests. Peaceful remembrance met with force.
This is why Justice Amina Augie question matters now. Oct 18 2026 at 1986 Class 40th reunion she asked: _Have we kept faith? In part YES, in part NO._ Then confessed: _Corruption where it exists on Bench, Bar, Registry poisons everything by turning one place citizen should find impartiality into one more market stall._
Justice Musa Dattijo Oct 27 2023 valedictory said: _I joined Judiciary willingly believing institution wanting to serve it. Judiciary I am leaving behind far removed from what I once knew. Institution has become something else._
TWO JUSTICES. SAME INNER CHAMBER. SAME LAMENT. TEMPLE TO MARKET.
When Bench, Bar, Registry become market stall, street becomes battlefield. When citizen cannot find impartiality in temple, citizen cannot find safety on street. EndSARS 20/10/20 proved it. Yesterday 20/10/26 proves again.
You taught: Real courage is in service not out. Risky dangerous speak timely take hit. Leaders got positions through same favours they scream about. That teaching is why I appeal — don’t withdraw.
SOLUTION IS NOT WITHDRAWAL. SOLUTION IS MECHANICS.
Not GAS BAGGING but WITNESS 5Cs. CITIZEN witness. CAPTURE facts. CATALOGUE verifiable. CLOUD upload. CONFRONT court and conscience with courage in service. 90% citizen effort. Government SERVANT not SAVIOUR. Pool below apex. MAGIC IS NOT REAL. 2040 TEST teach one digital skill before secondary exit.
For EndSARS victims, this is WITNESS meaning. Those youth at Toll Gate witnessed. They captured with phones. They catalogued. They cloud-uploaded. That evidence is why world remembers today. That is courage in service. We must continue same.
NOW TO CRITIC YOU REACTED TO.
Critic said: How does someone prepare for national TV only to become sore irritant quarrelling like strangers in ATM queue? If Sowunmi shift anchored in conviction no need hyperventilate lose composure throw insults because questions uncomfortable. Vituperations not merely discourteous but intellectual poverty betrayal civility expected of public scrutiny. TV interview not street altercation nor agbero affair. Journalist not adversary to be subdued with bolekaja tactic. If superior arguments deploy them if facts present them if realignment defensible defend with logic evidence composure. Cannot claim conviction then abandon discipline reason. Ability to shout down interviewer not proof superiority but noise argument cannot stand. When argument lost abuse becomes refuge intellectually stranded. Rather watch rabbits eat fibre than stay glue watching Showunmi.
Prof, that critique has point. Your counter also has point.
BALANCE NEEDED.
Interviewer should not act as opposition spokesperson. Interviewee should not act as agbero at CMS. When host becomes spokesperson and guest becomes agbero, studio becomes market stall. When police become battlefield against peaceful remembrance, street becomes market stall. Citizen loses both places.
Way forward Prof: Don’t withdraw. Lend elder voice to mechanics. Teach young to interview with research not ambush. Teach young to defect with logic not bolekaja. Teach uniformed young that EndSARS remembrance is not threat but temple cleansing. Changing conviction allowed, but discipline of reason must remain. Protest is temple, not crime.
I will not watch rabbits eat fibre alone. I will watch TV with you. I will also stand at Toll Gate memory with youth. Together we demand decorum in studio and dignity on street. That is how we repair temple. That is how we honour 20/10/20.
May souls of EndSARS victims rest. May those brutalized yesterday heal. May temple be restored.
Richard Olanrewaju Odusanya, Convener ACRI/WITNESS 2026/2036, Social Reform Crusader — Last 25 years on this journey 1999-2026 and before then June 12 — Author NIGERIA NEEDS NEW NATIONAL MODEL — odusanyagold@gmail.com — Ki Olorun Tun Ilu Wa Se — Allah Ya Gyara Kasar Mu — Chineke Mezie Obodo Anyi — May God Repair Our Nation
