In the quiet town of Mokwa, the floodwaters didn’t just wash away homes—they exposed a deeper rot. Poet Shehu’s sequence, poems 31 through 37, captures this brutal truth: the state’s neglect of infrastructure is a political act, leaving citizens to drown in silence. But that silence was shattered on October 20, 2020.
Residents recall the night the gunshots rang out. First, a sharp crack, then panic. People fled, scrambling for cover. Moments later, Usman was found lying unconscious in the street, a victim of a violence that had become all too familiar. This wasn’t just a random incident—it was a symptom of a system that had failed its people.
Then came Olalekan Falaye. On that fateful October day, he joined thousands of young Nigerians in a peaceful protest against police brutality. What began as a cry for justice quickly turned into a movement. The EndSARS protests weren’t just about ending a rogue police unit; they were about reclaiming a nation from decades of impunity.
From the streets of Lagos to the villages of Mokwa, the message was clear: Nigerians would no longer be silent. The flood of anger had become a flood of action. This is the story of how a generation stood up, not just to demand change, but to build a new future.
