It is not Soro soke, off your mic, be calming down or palliative.
It is not Black Lives Matter. Neither is it Lockdown or Quarantine. It is not even Social distancing or Face masks. It is not EndSARS, We move, Hoodlums, Bandits or insecurity. It is not Covid-19, Coronavirus, Vaccine, Safety Guidelines, Isolation centre, Wuhan or 5G either. E shock you? takes the top prize.
Only yesterday, Governor Sanwo Olu (Thank God he’s recovered from Covid-19) reminded Lagosians and persons already looking forward to the famous crossover night that the 12am-4am curfew is still in place. Of course, the reminder shocked us! Let’s go backwards and do a quick take on some unforgettable moments of 2020 and see how E shock you? laid claim to the top prize as the word that best describes Nigeria of 2020. Did the death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gigi and others aboard that ill-fated helicopter shock us or not?
Did the rise and spread of Covid-19 shock us or not? Didn’t the length and duration of the Covid-19 induced lockdown shock us? Didn’t the 5G conspiracy theories shock us? Or the character, form and evolution of the EndSARS campaign? Was Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno the only one shocked by the activities of terrorists or bandits who made popular expressways their theatres of operations? What is the dominant experience of Dr Chris Ngige, the leadership of ASUU and students of Nigerian universities if not the E shock you connection? Does Festus Keyamo, SAN have any E Shock you story to tell about of his relationship with the National Assembly?
Wasn’t the Kankara incident an E shock you moment for President Buhari? As was the invasion of Cacovid warehouses across the country where palliatives were stored?
Can anyone deny that there were numerous E shock you moments for governments (how many remember the Edo no be Lagos movement – was that not a classic E shock you moment?) as there were for individuals across the country? E shock you? has been everywhere. Ask Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala about her E shock you moment with regards to her quest to be DG WTO and you’d see the extent of the experience.
As for Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea fans in Nigeria, who can tell those with the greatest number of E shock you moments, especially when you compare the performances of their clubs at the beginning of the season to their current position on the league table.
Meanwhile, kindly note that that E shock you does not always carry a negative band. Sometimes E shock you delivers a positive turn of events. To all those who reaped bountifully in the course of the year, who did not expect that level of outcome, the E shock you tag may also apply.
