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The recent events of the past few days in many states of our country has shocked and rocked our nation to the core. Even though the pains, agonies and the terrible destructions we have suffered remains with us, yet we have to pick ourselves up and start rebuilding for a better future and maintain peace, security of lives and property and enable some normalcy as the present situation is affecting a lot of people financially and otherwise.
There are many ways to enable this happen but I shall focus on only one very practical way and immediately effective – the creation of Nigerian Unity Projects which will be kickstarted by one helpful community project – help clean up your state.
For example, let’s take Lagos state – I have proposed a Lagos clean up day where everyone in their neighbourhood or locality in every area of Lagos are invited to come out with their brooms, bin bags and other cleaning implements and clean up their area of the rubbish and debris left after the riots.
I propose that interested parties in every area of Lagos should be encouraged to set Lagos clean up WhatsApp groups and invite friends and family and agree a day that is good for them for all to come out and help clear debris so Lagos can return to normal and businesses can restart again.
This is happening in Lagos state now. Enugu state have already taken on this project too with early and promising results.
We need your help. You can do this same project in your own state as well and imagine if we all do this in all the 36 states of Nigeria – think of all the good and the good morale this simple act will do for our country.
This very small inexpensive effort has so many benefits- it will bring everyone in the community together, lift collective morale and build our community together and represent a positive milestone and demonstrate the unity our society needs in these strange times and ensure the spirit of unity and brotherly love continues to triumph and bind us together despite the negative divisive forces that wants to divide us.
Please, can everyone be law abiding as you carry out the cleaning exercise, respect all the laws and sensitivities of your individual states and obey all the directives and curfews your state Government and or the Federal Government have imposed and finally only carry out the clean up exercises only when it is safe to do so.
If it is not safe, please stay indoors until it is safe to do so and make sure all stakeholders, your local senators, members of National Assembly, the Police and law enforcement agencies are fully briefed, supportive and provide you with cover and support so you do not get involved in cases of mistaken identity or being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I also ask those in every state of the federation with instagram, Facebook, Twitter and all other forms of social media to publish pictures and videos of them cleaning up their areas and tag them so others Nigerians in other states affected by these riots can be encouraged to do the same in their respective states and by this way, Nigeria and Nigerians can be proud of themselves.
Thank you for reading this article and please stay safe and respect the law.
Raphael Christopher is a Lawyer and Author.
