Black Lives Matter: Nigeria looks within at own violence record against women
The killing of George Floyd last week and the rejuvenation of the Black Lives Matter movement has caused every country in the world to look at their own history of systematic violence with fresh eyes.
In Nigeria, the #BLM hashtag has sparked a twitter storm on the nation’s supposed hypocrisy, as activists say the nation was quick to denounce America’s brutality against black men, but repeatedly turns a blind eye to its own sexual violence against women.
This comes after another high-profile rape and murder case shocked the nation this week, becoming the second case in less than four days.
18-year-old Barakat Bello was raped and murdered on Monday in her own home as she tried to defend herself against a robbery.
Two days earlier, 22-year-old Vera Uwaila Omuzuwa was raped and murdered in her local church while trying to study for her microbiology degree. Both cases have reinvigorated Nigeria’s humanitarian activists to force the government to take a stand against sexual violence.
Nigeria has had a long-standing problem with sexual violence, and as the crime has an low conviction rate, coupled with a culture of shame, many women never report their abuse. In a national survey conducted in 2014, it was found that one in four women had experienced sexual violence, but only 3.5% ever received any help.
Twitter users have used the #BLM hashtag alongside #JusticeForBarakat and #JusticeForUwa to make sure brutality and violence within their own nation is not forgotten.
One woman @DeeAwata wrote: “It's funny to see people who have never stepped foot outside Nigeria use the #BLM […] but won't talk about the issues of violent killings and rapes happening within their own communities. You support a movement for CHANGE and not to look cool. #JusticeForUwa”.
Whether the energy driving the Black Lives Matter Movement will be maintained in other campaigns against violence and garner real policy changes is yet to be seen.
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