24/09/2024
STAY ALIVE EVEN IF YOU PROTEST
October 1, 2024 is fast approaching. That is why I feel constrained to share this relevant material I had written some years back about civil demonstrations and protests, and about how to stay alive and safe in them.
THE PRIVILEGED ONES:
Remember, it is rare to find the children of the privileged classes getting involved in socio-political clashes with the police or military. They are either in expensive private institutions, at home or abroad, garnering an education that would establish them as controllers of power and authority in future. It is a feature of the laws of life that likes seek to promote their continued existence. Thus the older generation grooms the nascent ones to take over from them.
STAYING SAFE IN CROWD SITUATIONS:
What do you do when you find yourself in a crowd situation? How do you comport yourself so as to avoid attracting undue attention of the law enforcement agents, who may be armed, to your person? My children and a number of our relatives went to university at a time when institutions of higher learning were very restive.
In the 1980s military regimes ruled in most African countries and student unionism was at its highest level. Youths in my family went to one of the institutions where demonstrations and protests, and sit-ins and lockouts were rampant. The authorities dealt with this brand of student activism by sending in security agents every time there was a breakdown of law and order.
RELEVANCE OF FAMILY BONDING:
Many young people lost their lives in these protests. But in my entire family, not a single soul was lost. Reason? Family leaders had given young family members definite instructions about how to choose their friends, how to avoid being inculcated into cults and how to conduct themselves so they remain unobtrusive in public.
They were taught that:
1. In crowd situations, never carry anything that may be construed to be a weapon – stone, knife, stick, broom, rod, pan or plate. Do not carry any tomato, book, water container, rotten egg or fruit. First, it is a criminal offence to carry unauthorized weapons. Next, law enforcement agents may be waiting for just that lapse in behaviour as a motivation to apply their crowd controlling measures.
2. If the crowd is moving in one direction, quietly manage to move in the opposite direction. In other words, if the demonstrators are moving northwards, head for the southern direction. If they are moving eastwards, head for the western gates. This must be done very discreetly in order to avoid colleagues labeling one a turn-tail or an opposer of the protest.
3. Never be in the fore-front of any demonstration unless you truly are a recognized leader and have something definite to gain out of the entire process. Law enforcement agents will generally aim their weapons at the ring leaders who usually are in the front. Statistics show that these are the people who generally get wounded, killed or arrested. In essence, stay in the middle or at the rear end of the protest if you want to survive the action.
4. If you are tall or have a large frame, make yourself look shorter, smaller and less threatening in appearance. Having come from a family with tall huge men, it became a family responsibility to teach the young undergraduates how to avoid getting noticed. Bend the knees, bow the head, and try to look as unchallenging and inconspicuous as possible. Never dare a man with a gun and with the authority to use it. Remember, your family care for you and need you alive.
5. Avoid wearing blatant colours that single you out - black, red, or green. Choose to wear the cooler colours that blend with a calm environment – pastels, light blues, off-whites and pale browns. Red, black and bright orange are dangerous colours. Avoid wearing clothes that draw attention to your person – military-like outfits, clothes with bold letterings and aggressive messages; combat gear, boots, hats and masks. They only provoke law enforcement agents to more aggressive behaviour.
6. Finally, obey legitimate orders. Apply discretion and be polite, not abusive. Aim to survive the action. You have just one life and prison should not be a planned destination in life.
Unless it is absolutely impossible, do not be part of a crowd. Crowd situations are unpredictable. Be open to negotiation at all times.
YOU MAKE THE DECISION - IS THE CAUSE WORTH THE PRICE?
What are the stakes involved? What do you stand to gain … or to lose? That decision rests with you. Is it power, honour, respect, a compliance with what you hold dear or just a few naira notes and a cup of rice and some groundnuts? Who are those involved in this? What relationship do you have with them? Is there strict understanding as to who gets what, where, when and how? Are these promises reliable and trustworthy? There is an African proverb that says, ‘Use your tongue to count your teeth.‘ Nothing satisfies like success …but also, nothing is more discouraging than failure. And he who fights knowing the ropes, will live to fight his war and win.
Being excerpt from an unpublished work on Conflict and Collective Behaviour. (Elder Chief Gladys Williams Russel FNIPR arpa LL.B Dip Mass Comm) 2022.
