In the next two weeks, we are going to highlight 20 remarkable opportunities from the ashes of Nigeria’s Black October. These opportunities are ‘gifts’ we may collectively harness to yield some of the dreams embedded in the protests and agitations that stirred the combustion of 20- 10-2020 and the ugly aftermath. Some of these opportunities are more obvious than others.

Some appear as symbols or metaphors or pointers.

Some are questions that do not have easy answers but patient and diligent investigation will surely yield their pleasant juices for the enjoyment of all. For example, many people who now believe we must look for effective ways to engage the ‘hoodlums and miscreants (by the way, we should rest the use of these descriptive classifications when the rebirth is complete, hopefully) do not know how to proceed.

Those who have suggested the examples of ‘ex-miscreants’ and ‘ex-hoodlums’ like biblical Jephthah and David, have not provided specific strategies as to how these men built and grew a following from among the ‘dregs’ of society and transformed them into a formidable fighting force by which they eventually became rulers of their respective nations. The challenge this gives is that there are no easy answers. Of course, there are answers but they will come with focus, diligent and patient enquiry.

Below are the gifts from the Ashes of Nigeria’s Black October:

1. The opportunity to rebuild the police stations and make the new buildings centers of excellence
2. The opportunity to foster national integration/economic prosperity if Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing replace all the destroyed vehicles
3. The opportunity for youths to convert the vote of confidence by the older generation into widespread structural
4. The opportunity to begin an early start towards 2023
5. The opportunity to amplify the value of surprise
6. The opportunity to win more hearts through the demonstration of transparency, accountability and efficient use of resources
7. The opportunity to create an alternative to a marijuana-induced reality for some of our young people
8. The opportunity to more specifically engage the youths towards 2023
9. The opportunity to harvest the ‘fearlessness’ exhibited by our youths for quality military service, etc
10. The opportunity to develop games and truly engaging activities for unemployed youths (think of Indian films and the vast number of dancers that usually are engaged in many productions – those hands earn some kind of pay, abi?)
11. The opportunity to harvest the symbolism of the ‘location’ of many of the looted warehouses – the solution to the hunger is not far away
12. The opportunity to radically change our curriculum to make it more resourceful
13. The opportunity to grow vegs everywhere, and be like Oprah who grows the vegs she eats
14. Opportunity of consolation from knowing there were looting following protests in America
15. The opportunity to rest the use of ‘hoodlums’ and ‘miscreants’ in describing our youths
16. The opportunity in the ‘gesture’ by Pastors Sam Adeyemi, Poju Oyemade and Godman Akinlabi
17. The opportunity to embrace lobbying to seeing some of the demands through
18. The opportunity for Nigeria’s diaspora to play a more active role in Nigeria
19. Solidarity from across the seas
20. The opportunity to harvest the immense potentials embedded in barbing salons, betting kiosks, viewing centers, etc