October 2020, will be ossified into Nigerian history for years to come. Nigerians finally decided to tackle one of the many problems plaguing the country. Police brutality. The youth of the most populous African nation decided it was time to stand up and fight the Nigerian government via incessant protests and rallies. Young Nigerians living at various corners of the nation have all been victims of unfair profiling at one point or another. Although the ongoing protests are aimed at the disbandment of the corrupt and incompetent SARS unit of the police, a deeper problem lies inherently in the Nigerian society and it’s profiling culture.
Profiling in simpler terms can be described as taking things at face value, based on certain traits or tendencies. For example, simply assuming that just because a man is wearing a suit and tie, he is attending a wedding or works in a bank. While this comparison might seem harmless, when people in positions of power and influence begin to make assumptions based on appearances, the margin for undue fatalities, mistakes and mishaps are exponentially increased. Profiling in Nigeria takes all sort of forms ranging from losing jobs and educational opportunities, disdain from parents or guardians and the most exacerbated version: The loss of lives and property to the police—all because of your appearance.
The mentality of the older Nigerians truly is the genesis and center of the current problem young Nigerians are facing. The Nigerian youth are judged for wearing jewellery, unorthodox piercings and hairstyles, using expensive gadgets, luxury equipment or even vehicles. In as much as the older generation might try to feign ignorance, they set a precedent and consequently, the principles on which the profiling culture in Nigeria has been created. Sadly, they are paying for it with their children’s lives.
For a true revolution to be achieved, the profiling culture needs to be tackled head on. Nigerians need to not lose opportunities because of the colour of their hair, tattoos, or a couple of piercings. There are obvious exceptions, such as the corporate world, where there might be a need to look a certain way for customers. However, educational opportunities or other jobs should not be determined based on appearance at face value, but on actual credentials, experience and deservedness.
