Yvonne Orji, Uzo Aduba, Jidenna, Cynthia Erivo, Jackie Aina, and a number of other Nigerian celebrities at home and in the diaspora have lent their voices to the #EndSARS protest.
Some even recorded a video raising awareness about the injustice Nigerians face in the hands of officers charged with protecting them, and they called for an end to police brutality. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, DJ Spinall, and a number of other Nigerian celebrities recognized internationally also featured in the video
John Boyega
The Star Wars actor, who passionately spoke at Black Lives Matter protests over the summer, said of the travesty: “I don’t know what to say. To wage such war on your own people…They must pay.” Later adding on his Instagram Stories, “The world must see. The Nigerian government has failed its people. THEY MUST GO.”
Uzo Aduba
Alongside sharing a video explaining the situation in Nigeria (in which she can be seen referencing the first wave of anti-SARS protests in 2017), the Orange Is The New Black star wrote: “Enough is enough! We are united and stand in solidarity as one Nigeria. This is a chance to redefine our future and we join the call for the Nigerian government to act now to create a country that we all can be proud of.”
Phenomenal popular beauty blogger Jackie also appears in the above video with Uzo Aduba. She shared it on her own social media channels, along with the names of many victims: “I don’t know how else to say this but I don’t know how anyone who follows me can see what is happening in Nigeria and not feel compelled to share. Nigerians are literally fighting for their lives. Initially what started with peaceful protests to end police brutality in Nigeria has ignited much larger conversations and much more. NIGERIA NEEDS HELP and has needed help for a long time.”
She continued, “No more people should have to die for BASIC human rights. It makes me sick that the government in Nigeria would much rather inconvenience an entire country and pushback on the demands instead of doing the right thing. Nigerians deserve a better Nigeria, point blank period. There is just….a lot. A lot more that I can’t convey on this post but if you remember anything, remember that Black Lives Matter all the time, Nigerian Lives Matter too, and when we say Black Lives we MOST CERTAINLY do not and will not exclude the LGBTQ community from this conversation, no matter how much the nation may try to!”
Dave
The rapper, who won Best Album at The BRITs earlier this year, joined thousands tweeting out their support. He wrote, “THEY ARE KILLING OUR PEOPLE. OUR HEARTS ARE HEAVY. #EndSARS”
If you’d like to donate to help those campaigning to #EndSARS, visit the Feminist Coalition and Connected Development, or find out more information at Amnesty International. You can also write to your local MP urging them to take action.
