By Wangari Maathai
It is said that young people are the torchbearers of change, and our actions today shape the Africa of tomorrow. We have seen young people take the lead in influencing social justice in the past. Let’s go down memory lane. Nelson Mandela started his activism journey at 25 in 1943, when he became involved in anti-colonial and African nationalist politics, joining the ANC in 1943 and co-founding its Youth League in 1944.
I need not bore you with the great achievements he alongside other young people in South Africa did to advance social justice. In the same vein, the legendary Wangari Maathai, at 35 had begun her social justice activism. She became the first woman in East and Central Africa to become a Doctor of Philosophy, and actively campaigned for equal benefits for the women working on the staff of the university, going so far as trying to turn the academic staff association of the university into a union, to negotiate for benefits.
These individuals to mention a few have shown us that, by coming together mobilizing our communities, and harnessing our collective power, we can drive meaningful progress towards a more just and equitable society.
Speaking of coming together, let’s not forget the EndSARS protest movement that swept across Nigeria in 2020, where we saw a demonstration of freedom from the ethno-religious tensions that usually plague the framing of Nigeria’s domestic security and political issues.
Young people across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria united around a common goal to end police brutality and extrajudicial killings that have become an endemic in Nigeria.I know what you are thinking. Why is social justice still under attack in several countries in Africa?
Many African countries are affected by the scourge of food insecurity, rapid increase in the number of out-of-school children, poverty, unemployment, and in addition to the political transitions that some are undergoing, following coups brewing here and there.
What then can be done?
As we commemorate the World Social Justice Day today, you need to know that the change starts with you and me! Get involved from where you are and with what you have. Are you a social media influencer, a musician, a professional, an entrepreneur, a teacher, blogger, student, or whoever, the time has come to be a part of the dialogue that amplifies our voices and drives positive change across the continent.
