Paper Short Abstract:

This ethnographic study Investigates the nexus between implicit collective memory and the emergence of implicit activism within Nigeria's EndSARS Movement.

Paper Abstract:

On October 3 2020, a 22 years young man, Joshua Ambrose, was shot by a team of the Nigerian Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Delta State, Nigeria, on the allegation that he was an Internet fraudster (Dambo et al., 2021). The shooting was captured in a video. The viral video generated outrage that condemned the victim's ordeal and reflected the long-standing frustration about police brutality in Nigeria (Agbo, 2021). In a few days, the online agitation had transformed into vast decentralised street protests, mainly organised through social media, in major cities in the country. Researchers (Nwakanma, 2022; Wada, 2021; Uwalaka, 2022; Obia, 2023)have explored the EndSARS movement from diverse angles. Despite the burgeoning literature on EndSARS, the literature lacks studies from a memory studies perspective (Zamponi, 2020; Smith, 2020). This work expands upon the prevailing focus on memory studies primarily centred around commemorations to focus on implicit memory as a driving force for social movements in the context of the EndSARS in Nigeria. This study's specific research question is: How does implicit memory fuel implicit activism in the EndSARS movement? To answer this question, I employed the digital ethnographic approach on Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram and a combination of face-to-face interviews across three States in Nigeria. The results indicate four themes which explain how implicit collective memory fuels implicit activism. I conclude that understanding the interplay between implicit activism and implicit collective memory is vital for comprehending the dynamics of modern social movements and their potential for lasting impact.