#ENDSARS Speech To Nigerian Youths

Written for Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

By Sota Omoigui MD, Co-author, Nigerian National Anthem

Our youths are correct. Your leaders have failed you. They have failed to serve the fatherland with love and strength and faith. They have failed to create one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.

My Fellow Nigerians

They have failed to be guided by God, and are unable to teach our youths in love and honesty to grow as they neither have love nor do they have honesty.

They live corruptly and have failed to live just and true.
They have failed to build a nation that can attain any lofty heights but rather they have created a nation where there is neither peace nor justice.
I have heard your cries on the state of our nation. I recognize that your protests to end the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) are a protest against everything evil that is symbolized by the SARS units.
I sympathize with all those who lost their lives including protesters, police and soldiers and have directed compensation to every family.
Owners of all vandalized and looted stores will be compensated.
At the same time all those engaged in looting will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
All COVID-19 palliatives that are still kept in warehouses must be distributed immediately.
The corruption, brutality, torture and extra judicial killings committed by the SARS policemen are a symptom of a complete rot in the system.
That rot starts from the atrocious working conditions, low wages, decrepit and unsanitary structures in our police barracks and colleges and military establishments and the diversion of funds allocated to the salaries, benefits and welfare of our policemen and soldiers.
I have set up a judicial panel of enquiry to investigate all accounts of violations of human rights, abuse of office and professional misconduct and bring to justice all who are culpable.
This will include dismissal, demotion as well as public prosecution. All those who have been unjustly detained by the SARS units as well as peaceful protesters that have been detained are to be immediately released.
As I have said before, if we as a nation do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us.
The era of free for all corruption, lack of accountability and corruption with impunity is over.
The EFCC and ICPC are currently set up to investigate corruption after it has already occurred. We have weaponized it against our political opponents. Immediately henceforth, the two investigative agencies will start prosecution of all looters who belong to both our ruling party APC as well as all other parties.
However, we need to prevent corruption from taking place and bring to justice all those who violate the public trust.
Transparency and Accountability will be the order of the day. The era of running government and public institutions like a secret society is over. The budget as well as all allocations and disbursement of funds must be published on the Internet in real time. All monies received must be accounted for.
As such, I am immediately directing our National Assembly to set up an Office of Auditor General for each ministry at a national level and in every state and the Federal Capital Territory. Their responsibilities will be to appoint auditors to audit all contract awards and no funds will be disbursed for any capital or recurrent expenses without prior audit. This will apply to all federal and state ministries, agencies and all public institutions.
I am also directing an immediate audit of all assets of all public, judicial and institutional office holders in the last 30 years. Assets that cannot be accounted for by their salaries will be seized and they will be prosecuted and sent to jail. All corruption that rises to the level of economic sabotage will be punished by public execution.

Cost of Governance

We have adopted the American Presidential system for 36 states that has created an unsustainable cost of governance.
I am directing the National Assembly to implement the immediate dissolution of the House of Representatives as the cost of funding is unbearable for our nation.
I am directing the Revenue Management and Fiscal mobilization Commission to terminate the unconscionable salaries and allowances of our senators. All senators will henceforth be on a minimum wage of N50, 000.00 a month.
All allowances including constituency allowances will be proscribed. Immunity and unaccountable security votes for governors will be terminated with immediate effect.
Double dipping by former governors who receive pension while receiving salaries and emoluments as Senators will be terminated immediately.
We need senators who are elected for public service and not for the public to service their accounts.
The resources of our nation can no longer be hijacked by a dubious system of patronage.
All oil blocks awarded to individuals are hereby revoked.

Judiciary

Nigerians, you deserve to get justice based upon the merit of your case and not based on the bribe you give or who you know. Our judiciary is beset with corruption and all judges who have violated the public trust will be prosecuted and brought to justice.
For too long has our judiciary postponed cases and denied justice. All cases that are not resolved in two years must be reviewed by the National Judicial Council and judges will be removed from those cases and sanctioned or dismissed.
Our prisons must be immediately emptied of all prisoners that have been held in custody beyond the time for the maximum sentence of their offence. Chief magistrates must pay monthly visits to police stations and other detention facilities to direct the arraignment of suspects or grant bail in line with our newly enacted Police Act.
All prisons must conform to minimum building standards and the welfare of prisoners must meet minimum standards to be enacted

Healthcare

We will no longer tolerate dilapidated health care systems including some of our university teaching hospitals, that are death traps, where there are no medications, no supplies, no equipment and in many cases not even running water.
All governors and public officials including your president must accept medical care from the same hospitals as their constituents.
No longer can any public official, take themselves and their families abroad for the best medical treatment while their citizens die in poorly equipped hospitals.
All hospitals and community clinics must adhere and be brought up to minimum building and sanitary standards. All funds allocated for hospitals will be audited.

Education

We will no longer tolerate structures lacking the very basics supplies including even doors, windows and roofs. All schools at all levels must adhere and must be brought up immediately to minimum building and sanitary standards.
All funds allocated for schools will be audited.

Infrastructure

We must provide an enabling environment for all Nigerians to succeed. We will prioritize and decentralize provision of electricity, roads, pipe borne water, and social amenities.

Conclusion

We have no other country. You are never too small or too big, too young or too old, to stand up and fight for a Nigeria, where there is opportunity for all.
For a Nigeria where your grades in school are based upon honest work and not on favors done for lecturers or teachers.
For a Nigeria, where you can get a job on the strength of your achievements and not based upon who you know or where you are from
For a Nigeria where there is 24-hour electricity, pipe borne water, good roads and good schools, great hospitals and high speed internet.
For a Nigeria where quality education and medical care are available to all irrespective of ability to pay. For a Nigeria, that has one factory in every town and not one church or mosque on every street.
For a Nigeria that is safe, where your human rights are guaranteed and where you get justice based upon the merit of your case and not based on the bribe you give or who you know.
For a Nigeria where all are accountable and you can trust the police to do their job without fear or favor.
For a Nigeria where resources are for all and not for a chosen few with their families.

And For a Nigeria that can take its rightful place amongst the great nations of the world.

The End

Arise O Compatriots!!!
Nigeria’s call obey!!!

Dr. Sota Omoigui is an author and physician practicing in Hawthorne, California and Founder of a tech startup, Xchange Mall – Super App (www.xchange.world). Omoigui is Co-author of Nigerian National Anthem.