20th of October, 2020

20th October, 2020

20th October, 2020
Lekki Toll gate
6:30 am.

I and Bimbo had slept opposite the Toll gate with some other protesters.
The lights from the upper side illuminated the streets.

We hurried to bathe and change our clothes as people began to wake up. After the girls clean up, I decided to switch on my phone.

Messages came up the screen of my phone minutes after it was on.

Maami
Don't be stupid, Jóke.
Come home now.

Tola
Are you sure your head is correct, Jóke? Do you want to lose your life?
Are we not important to you?
Go home now. Maami is worried.

How can you switch off your phone?
God, help this child oh.

Tolu
Go back home, Jóke.
It will be fine.
Maami is worried.
We're all worried.
Please.

I was really sorry for causing a mess at home. I really hoped that they'd forgive me.

10:30am

We started helping the organizers to give out food. I stared at Bimbo as she smiled and gave the protesters food.

"Eat and have energy. We're going to dance today." She said to a man as she passed.

"How do you know we're going to dance?" I asked.

"Ah, babe you don't know?" She asked and I shook my head.

"DJ Chizzy will be playing songs for us today na and she's going to perform here." She said excitedly.

"Wow, I didn't know." I replied and gave a man his food.

"Ah I will dance ehn. Even the dead will stand up and dance."

At the mention of the dead, Bimbo stopped walking and bowed her head.

"If Ade and Emmanuel were alive. If Nigeria was a better place, will this be happening?" She asked.

"No. Jabiru doesn't want to leave that seat. He has not even said anything since this protest began. What a nonsense president we have." I said as we walked back to our seats.

"He's a mumu man." She replied and we both laughed.

As afternoon drew near, the protesters gathered behind the barricades that were put in front of the toll gate. Most people seemed to have lost hope as some sat on the barricades.

"All we are saying, End Bad Governance." We began to sing.

Everyone began to sing and some clapped.

"End SARS."

"End police brutality."

We continued to clap and sing for a long time.

5:40pm.

DJ Chizzy had us dancing to Jerusalema. This made Bimbo excited as it was her favorite song at the moment.

"Give a loud shout." DJ Chizzy said through the mic and everyone shouted.

"Nobody can stop us eh. We're gonna go higher eh. We're gonna go higher eh...we're gonna go..." DJ Chizzy sang

"Higher higher." Everyone sang after her.

"We're gonna go..."

"Higher, higher. Nobody can stop us eh. Higher higher..."