Black lives matter in Nigeria- Uche Okeke

"Black people in Africa may not be dying as a result of racism, but far too many are dying because of their ethnicity, their political beliefs, their poverty and their gender...The Rwandan Genocide, South Africa's xenophobic uprisings, Boko-Haram's ongoing reign of terror in Nigeria are stark reminders of nameless heroes; black Africans who suffered at the hands of black Africans. They remind us that the doling out of injustice is not the preserve of white people nor is it always about race. Africans are equally complicit in ensuring that black lives don't always matter"-Morky Makura(CNN). George Floyd's killing has sparked widespread protest in the USA and around the world over police brutality and abuse, but the black lives matter protests do not reflect what is happening in Africa so it became a challenge to champion a new initiative to help raise awareness of endless atrocities that is rampant in Nigeria and other African countries as we believe that every life matters in a fair and just world. Today we have the tools to help fight injustice everywhere. In Nigeria , rape, ethnic discrimination, police brutality and extra-judicial killings and violent crimes including genocide is everyday experience, yet no one talks about it and the world remain silent. Amnesty International Nigeria spokesperson , Osai Ojigho told CNN; "No matter where you are in Nigeria, in the North or South, in the city or rural, Christian or Muslim, every woman and girl is at risk of rape. Nowhere is safe or immune to this violent crime against women" She called on the government to declare a "national crisis" on rape following a recent spate of violence involving young women in the country. According to Baroness Cox, the Founder of Humanitarian Trust Aid Relief Trust, UK; "It's been five years since Nigeria's Islamist Fulani herdsmen insurgency began in Nigeria. Thousands of civilians have been killed, hundreds of churches have been burned to rubble, entire communities have been forced to abandon their homes and farmland. Across Northern and Central Middle-Belt states, militant herdsmen continue to engage in aggressive and strategic land-grabbing policy. They seek to replace diversity and difference with an Islamic ideology similar to Boko-Haram's which is imposed with violence on those who refuse to comply. It is according to the Nigerian House of Representatives-"Genocide". The Governor of Benue State, one of the target Nigerian states in the Middle Belt, where the herdsmen insurgency is worst hit with sad tales of  loss of human lives and properties, Governor Samuel Ortom confirmed, Baroness Cox's findings in this regard. In his own words; "The point is that they have vowed to take over this land , and they have not hidden it. I want the whole world to know that these are expansionist agents, it is not about rearing cattle, but about taking over our land. That is their plan and I have always said it and they have not denied that". He has called on the Federal Government to make deliberate effort to disarm the killer herdsmen. Sadly the Nigeria government is unable to disarm them and relunctant to embrace modern cattle rearing practices, preferring to to treat the killer herdsmen with carrot rather than prosecution and accountability. The government's favourable solution is establishing cattle colony in all the states in the country which contradicts the country's land act laws that protects indigenous peoples' rights. Furthermore, Arch-Bishop Dr Obinna, Catholic Bishop of Owerri, Imo state, recently, raised alarm about impending 'genocide' given  the sudden influx of foreign Fulani herdsmen in the South-East Nigeria, despite inter-state lock-down for covid-19. South-Eastern Nigeria is a former BIAFRA entity for the Igbo ethnic tribe that lost more than three-million citizens during the tragic Nigeria-Biafra civil war in 1967-70. So the influx of the herdsmen described as the world's fourth deadliest terrorist organisation in the South-East with different culture and religion is a very bad omen. They live in the forests rather than communities, using their cattles to destroy farmlands, rape, main and kill local people and sack communities who oppose their destructive activities. People are killed on a daily basis and videos circulating various Social Media sites showing atrocities of the herdsmen that is unchallenged, no arrests, no prosecution.  In his words, "not satisfied with defeating us in an even war, there is this threat to wipe out the Igbos and take over our God-given homes and lands". Abductions, suicide bombings , killings and attacks on civilians by Boko-Haram has persisted.  A recent Human Rights Watch World Report 2019  says, "Nigeria which currently sits on the UN Human Rights Council , in July abstained from voting on a resolution on the human rights situation in Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Burundi; and another resolution urging states to respect and protect basic human rights and civil society. In November, under the HRC's Universal Periodic Review mechanism, states made 290 recommendations to Nigeria, including to combat all forms of discrimination, especially against women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex persons,combat impunity and abolish death penalty. The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court continued its preliminary examination into the situation in Nigeria, with a focus on alleged international crimes committed in the Niger-Delta, the Middle Belt states and in the Boko-Haram conflict. The preliminary examination also focuses on the status of national proceedings regarding these crimes..., In August 2019, President Buhari delivered the keynote address at the 20th Anniversary of the ICC's Rome Statute event at The Hague and used the opportunity to mark Nigeria's strong support for the ICC's mandate". Black Lives Matter in Nigeria is a Non-Profit, Non-Political, Non-Religious, Non-Violent Organisation that seeks to leverage global partnerships for Social Action against Injustice, Racism, Rape, Police Brutality and Extra-Judicial Killings, Genocide, etc. We believe that All Lives Matter Every Where. No Social Justice, No Peace. We encourage people to become active members, support us and help promote our work, Together we make change happen. Also we encourage people to sign up to our website to upload videos, photos, post personal experiences, writings and articles as soon as the website is live. We have a voice and our voice will be heard. Jesse Jackson, the American Civil Rights activist captured the moment and offers some hope to those in the US and around the world fighting racism and discrimination. In her words; "Racism is a bigger fight now but we have more tools to fight it. We didn't have telecommunications in that time, we didn't have social media, we didn't have the right to vote" Ofcourse, today we have internet and broadband, telecommunications, almighty social media, we have the right to vote definitely we have the right to effect change and we can. Its good that people no longer accept what they accepted before, so ask yourself what are am I doing about racial, ethnic inequality, rape, police brutality and abuse, killings, genocide and other violent crimes. Remember Change starts with me. Social Justice and Social Change requires action and practice not political rhetorics. Society's problems need you so get involved, lets make change happen. Black Lives don't just matter in the streets of Europe and America, Charity starts at home. The words of Lela Gilbert, Senior Fellow For Religious Freedom at Family Research Council and Hudson Institute's Centre For Religious Freedom is a constant reminder to take action and demand change. In her own words; "while round-the-clock global media reports focus on the shartered streets of New York, Minneapolis and beyond, atrocious violence against black women, children and men is surging in Nigeria and we hardly hear a word about it" We can help change the way things are. This is the great challenge.

Uche Okeke is the Founder of Black Lives Matter, Nigeria. Visit http://www.black-lives-matter-nigeria.com  . Share your comments. Follow us on Facebook . Partner with us. Support us.

Read More: 'Black Lives Matter' Around The World Including in Nigeria Amid Rising Violence- Leyla Gilbert.