As An Advocate....

If you were to see someone being attacked on the street this weekend would you step in to help or walk away? Explain your reasoning and don't forget to use your own photos.

Hi there!
Warm greetings. ❤️

It's always a delight to participate in the #weekend-engagement writing topics. Take my word for it please, don't judge the credibility of that expression by the frequency of participation. Thank you. :D

To answer the above quoted question, definitely stepping in to help. Thing is I've never. Never had the opportunity, that is. I've only dreamed about it. As an advocate, a solicitor, a lawyer, by whatever name you're familiar with, it's in my nature. It should be if I'm going to be any good, yeah? But I do believe there are people who aren't advocates by profession, and still advocate for the oppressed/suffering/attacked. Now my reasoning behind my butting into others' business in a bid to help is entirely uh... how to say. Okay, what I think I'm trying to articulate into words is that it's a trait that comes naturally to me. My environment informs many of my writings but now that I think about it, even if I lived in a sane country like Qatar, I'd still be this way 'cause there's people who need help/savings everywhere, on weekends and on weekdays. Literally. And there I go, deviating and sounding like I'm talking to myself. Pardon me.

Here's the thing, it disturbs me a lot to see people being attacked, by action or otherwise, especially through no fault of their own, on the street, on the bus, in school, at work, wherever. I usually catch myself holding back because of the disadvantages we suffer as being seen as weak and unworthy of any opinion in our Nigerian society. We as in women. Many a time, I dream of becoming a member of any of the Forces, I dream of taking intensive martial arts or boxing classes, I dream of being such an important and reverred public figure whom the police - the usual attackers of civilians on the street - can't touch. I dream of alighting from the vehicle I may be in, or stopping on my tracks, flashing a badge and saying with authority, "Hey! What's the problem here?!" Of course, armed with the right powers, physical or status wise, the attack would cease and there'd be mediation and settling or dispersion. Oh you should know, most of these dreams of mine, if not all, are goals.

Police brutality and jungle justice are not extinct, and are very much rampant here. A person could steal a loaf of bread and the next thing you hear, usually in the local language, is "bring tyre, bring fuel, let's burn him." I'm not kidding. Or some Christian living in a Muslim dominated locality says something about not spaming a university group chat with religious messages and next thing, they say she's blasphemed, seek her out, drag her into the streets and burn her alive. Again, I'm not kidding. This happened to a student named Deborah. She's gone 😢, and there were onlookers who did nothing. The murderers made videos, and no, they're not in police custody.

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I detest oppression. That'd be my reasoning behind stepping in, if I witnessed a thing like that this weekend. Fairness, justice, equity - my reasoning. The abhorrence of abuse of power, and religious extremism - my reasoning. And what not.

Sounds cliché? Don't care. I mean it.

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I used to be, still am an Anatomist. Did an about turn (at the end of the road, not halfway through), and I'm now a lawyer, all because there's no way I'm going to be a bystander in the face of a storm or strike. There's no way my hands are going to continue being tied, there's no way there's nothing significant I can do to help. Only way I knew to untie these small but mighty hands of mine, was getting the relevant knowledge and some authority to go with it - Human Rights/Defence Lawyer. A nice starter pack.

Yes, yes, yes, I'd definitely step in. Weigh the situation, of course. Weigh my options. Consider the outcomes and possible consequences, yes. Consider my many inadequacies, yep, but readily step in if the odds aren't against me. If so, use what I can, like words, to register a solution, etc. This more for my sanity and maybe any passers-by to act upon or have knowledge of for a next time; while hoping that someone else steps in, and looking forward to achieving those goals that'll make me a capable "busy body."

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Please when you can, be more than the good Samaritan, step in and stop it. The attacked are usually undeserving of it.

Thank you for your time. Xoxo.