The Republic

‘The Human Spirit Naturally Resists Oppression’ ⚡

When the protests began in October 2020, Nigerian writer and editor, Chibueze Darlington Anuonye, was attending a conference in Lagos. He would later throw himself into the protests when he returned to his hometown in Owerri, Imo State.

However, following the 20 October Lekki Toll Gate massacre, he started thinking about ways to ensure that Nigerians never forget the terrible events. This gave birth to ‘Who Gave the Order’, an anthology of essays remembering the protests.

In today’s First Draft interview, Anuonye discusses the process of curating and editing the anthology, why it was important to document the protests in book form, how the trauma of police brutality persists for many victims and more.

This Interview is part of Remembering , The Republic’s special focus on . Subscribe at the link in our bio to read it in full as well as the rest of the series.

Read the full interview here:
https://rpublc.com/october-november-2025/first-draft-chibueze-anuonye/
___________________________
📝: Chibueze Darlington Anuonye
🎨: Chibueze Darlington Anuonye. Illustration by Kevwe Ogini
🔍: Peace Onafuye ; Editor