Blog #5: #EndSARS and Promoting Wellness

Wellness is a familiar term that means mindfulness and being cognizant of the life you live. This process is correlated with styles of healthy eating, practicing yoga and learning about zen, confiding in friends and family, journaling, and much more. Through advancements in technology we can now easily observe how others live and make inferences about our own lifestyles. The increasing awareness of what wellness can look and feel like is revitalizing. The word ‘wellness’ forms a positive connotation about life, but there is more to wellness than its trending and upbeat property. The physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and occupational dimensions of wellness in Nigeria are being affected by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The #EndSARS movement is a global protest against police brutality in Nigeria. Ordinary people from around the world are gathering to show support for Nigeria to abolish SARS. The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was created about three decades ago by the Nigerian government and possesses a bad reputation for taking advantage of the law. According to The Washington Post,  “Amnesty International said it has recorded 82 cases of SARS abuses over the past three years, including beatings, hangings, mock executions, sexual assault and waterboarding.”(Paquette, 2020). It is true that police brutality exists, meaning that an innocent citizen becomes a victim. It is probable that brutality undermines wellness. The possibility of being abused can lead to feeling insecure, anxious, and scared. Nigerian people are emotionally strained having to endure the terrifying actions of SARS. 

Physical abuse repercussions by a Nigerian police unit will torment family dynamics, community involvement, and national unity. Wellness includes an aspect of social identity that allows individuals to interact with others and recognize traits about themselves. The current social climate of Nigeria can be described by a “...closure of institutions due to strikes held by university lecturers, leaving many young people alienated and angry.”(Ojewale, 2020). Husbands, wives, brothers and sisters are being torn apart from each other. Neighbors are no longer closely distanced. Each one of these killings belongs to a story about law enforcement versus wellness. Furthermore, the people of Nigeria are experiencing educational drawbacks, emotional distress, physical threats, and social discrepancy. The Nigerian youth continues to lead the #EndSARS movement in order to envision a future encompassed with safety and political stability. 

Works Cited

Grand Rapids Community College. (2020). Seven Dimensions of Wellness. Retrieved November 01, 2020, from https://www.grcc.edu/humanresources/professionaldevelopment/wellness/sevendimensionsofwellness

Ojewale, O. (2020, October 29). Youth protests for police reform in Nigeria: What lies ahead for #EndSARS. Retrieved November 01, 2020, from https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2020/10/29/youth-protests-for-police-reform-in-nigeria-what-lies-ahead-for-endsars/

Paquette, D. (2020, October 22). Why are people talking about Nigeria and #EndSARS? Retrieved November 01, 2020, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/endsars-nigeria-police-brutality-sars-lekki-protest/2020/10/22/27e31e0c-143d-11eb-a258-614acf2b906d_story.html