What started as a mere reaction of displeasure by certain youth who felt their right to normal human existence had been trampled upon has escalated to global outcry against human rights violation.
The voice of an estimated 50 million youth has been further amplified by the global support which the #endsars movement has garnered. It is safe to say there hasn’t been anything like this, ever in the history of Nigeria; a protest by Nigerian youth, mobile and not stationary and yet it has not been highjacked by hoodlums neither have security agents been able to ascribe any violation of the laws of the federation to it. Between Monday 12th and Saturday, 17th October, there has been over 50 million mentions of #ENDSARS online.
After about 6 days of escalated protest, it went from a demand to #endsars to a demand to reform the police. But at the same time this metamorphosis was happening, there was another silent movement brewing amongst a segment of the youth who naturally wouldn’t have joined this movement as a community, the Christian community.
There seems not to be an end to the #ENDSARS campaign, each day brings a new twist. It started with #ENDSARS and changed to #SARSMUSTEND, metamorphosed into #STOPPOLICEBRUTALITY then #REFORMPOLICENOW. The demands and the approach my the youth changed by the day.
A tweet by a young Christian, vibrant beat maker and gospel artiste, Limo blaze changed the course of the protest introducing the supernatural to the physical. His tweet read, “Where my Christians at? What ya say we go on a peaceful protest/rally round the city just praying in tongues and declaring what we want to see in the land??? What we lock on earth in prayers will be sealed in heaven.”
With these words, a para-movement was formed to compliment the #endsars protest. At first the name wasn’t clear but by day 2, the #Prayerwalk movement was established. This was 10th October.
The first #Prayerwalk held in Ikeja, Lagos on 11th October. As at 18th October, over thirty #prayerwalk have been organised with many more scheduled for days and weeks ahead.
The walk has one aim, amplify the demands of the #endsars movement by inviting the supernatural hand of God.
In a post on the 12th of October, Limo blaze again tweeted, “my fellow Nigerians, to those of you that can pray, please start and don’t stop praying. If you are sensitive to spiritual things, a major shift is being birth but we must war on every side to ensure a successful birth. God bless you.
Many religious personalities and non-religious celebrities have since chanted the belief that a wind of change is coming.
Nathaniel Bassey says “Imagine every young person in Nigeria SHOUTING HALLELUJAH at the same time. Same hour, Same minute, Same day! Followed with heart felt prayers for our nation! Chai! Where are these ideas coming from tonight!”
““When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies.”
Numbers 10:9 NLT pic.twitter.com/Z7sGTQ46oc— Nathaniel Bassey (@nathanielblow) October 14, 2020
This #prayerwalk movement is a perfect idea of the purpose of spirituality in a man’s life. It is meant to solidify the physical efforts or chart a course for man to follow.
Pastor Poju Oyemade describes recent events as a ‘Kairos moment for this nation with powerful consequences.’
Tomorrow at 5,00pm.we have a prophetic praise service which will be focused prayer on what is going on in Nigeria. Ministering is @nathanielblow To attend this service register at https://t.co/7UDo9s87gh This is a Kairos moment for this nation with powerful consequences. pic.twitter.com/mK3tCsvoTZ
— POJU OYEMADE (@pastorpoju) October 17, 2020
Pastor Leke Adeboye, the last son and Personal Assistant to the General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God had announced a series of non-conventional protests for Saturday the 17th October. Termed, the Redemption Camp #Prayerwalk, thousands walked the street, praying for Nigeria.
It is obvious every Nigerian is interested in the #ENDSARS campaign. To that extend, everyone is participating and contributing within the scope of his/her ability. From the announcement, it is obvious the Christian community has awoken to the mantra #ENDSARS and ready to support it fully.
On Sunday, at the Lekki toll booth, Catholic Priests led by Rev. Fr. Anthony Amosun, Dean, Lekki Deanery, visited the grounds of the protest where youth have camped for over 4 days to coordinate an interdenominational Sunday Service. This comes a day after the Catholic Bishops Conference led by Archbishop of Benin-City, Most Rev Augustine Obiora Akubeze of Nigeria expressing its support for the #ENDSARS movement.
More #prayerwalks have been planned for London and other cities within and outside Nigeria. The #prayerwalk movement is growing at an alarming rate. It has been further decentralised from state or city walks to municipal and metropolis walks, happening simultaneously in different areas within the same state.
Limo blaze was inspired by the Holy Spirit to organise a #prayerwalk to seek the face of God in this trying time. According to him, God had spent the major part of this year preparing him and his clique of spirit-driven, heaven-focused Christian youth. They had fasted, organised night vigils and sought the face of God consistently for many months.
This was done to fulfil the burning desire to encounter God this year, a desire led by the Holy Spirit to prepare them as a vessel to inspire the change that God had planned for Nigeria this year. Why they were waiting upon the Lord, he never knew the movement was start as #prayerwalk, but he knew it was a revival the Lord was preparing him for.
When the Lord laid it in his heart to start this movement, he confessed he was scared and concerned about people’s reaction; possible threats and insult that would come from announcing such a movement in a season when the youth are busy fighting to end police brutality with the hashtag #ENDSARS.
And definitely, he got the backlash when he tweeted his plan to organise a walk. In spite of the backlash, he went ahead because he had a conviction that it was a call from God. He informed his friends, Koch of Dual Edge fame, Amos, Angeloh and some others and within two days the first #prayerwalk was held.
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