Activism: Passion or Profession || Oladapo Olufemi Olajide

Advocacy and Activism have been parts of man from the beginning of society. At particular times in different civilizations, individuals and groups have had course to disagree with the status quo.

The quest for change has led to the emergence of advocates and activists.

The two are so interwoven and similar but are very different in their methods of achieving their goals. They are however often misused and misplaced for each other.

Activism and advocacy are both tools that are used to bring about social or political changes.

However, there is a distinctive difference between activism and advocacy based on the manner in which these changes are brought about.

Advocacy involves an individual or a group trying to influence decisions within economic, political, and social systems and institutions. It could also include many activities such as public speaking, media campaigns, doing research, petitions, meeting with government officials, etc. The Internet and social media are important platforms and strategies in modern advocacy.

Activism, however, is the use of direct, often confrontational actions such as strikes, boycotts, rallies, street marches, sit-ins, and hunger strikes. Most people associate activism with working outside the system since it mostly includes direct confrontational and radical actions.

Activism is associated with radical, direct and confrontational actions. Advocacy on the other hand is associated with officialand less confrontational actions such as public speaking, petitions, conducting and publishing research, media campaigns, etc.

Teen activism is common in all societies. It involves youngsters in their teen ages involved in community organised social change or to fix problems in the community. Teenagers mobilising to repair drains, bridges or fix community electricity supply are common examples of teen activism.

A Pakistani teenager, Mallala Yousafzal is an activist for women and children education. Her activism earned her the covetted Nobel Laurel.

There are traits and attributes expected and required of an activist. He/she is expected to live a life that is exemplary and above board.

To be an advocate or activist, there must be a cause and target which are the subjects of the activism or advocacy.

Every true activist should have a means of survival that is not dependent on activism activities or else he will be faced with several conflicts of interest situations and will compromise.

An Activist without the prerequisites may betray the cause for which he supposedly became an activist, subvert the goals of his activism and mislead those following him.

Renowned Nigerian activists who have distinguished themselves have professions and businesses that were their means of livelihood. Hence, they could stand tests and temptations in the course of being an activist.

It is however uninteresting these days to find, mostly young men, activists who don’t have anything else they do.

I met a young man recently who I knew years back when he was involved in Student Unionism. I inquired what he does for a living now. He is “an Activist”.

It didn’t start today. It started from the higher institutions. Decades back, only the best aspired to lead other students. Academic excellence and brilliance were prerequisites for such positions.

The ones who become leaders of the unions are those that are least academically inclined. The academic pursuit which should be their primary assignment is relegated for “Campus Politics”. They become professional students. Their brand of student unionism involves moving around to politicians and people of means collecting patronages and dole outs. 

Unableto cope academically, they simply “Pass out”, after may years, instead of graduating.

After school, these unemployable school leavers still keep playing student leaders while their colleagues are getting jobs.

These self branded activists soon find solace in politics. They are bereft of ideologies and have no cause they believe in. They easily add “Comrade” or other such titles to their names.

These are just examples of people who take activism a their means of livelihood. They have no other lane because they are unemployable. They quite easily shift grounds when there is money to be made.

On the contrary, when a person has the passion to right wrongs, he becomes a real activist. Because he has a profession that puts bread on his table, he is incorruptible and not wavered by pecuniary considerations.

Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti was a medical doctor but was known for his work as a human rights activist.

Barrister Femi Falana, is a Senior Advocate lawyer but is better known for his human rights activism.

Professor Wole Soyinka is an activist but as an accomplished writer and novelist, got a Nobel Price for Literature.

Segun Okeowo was a foremost Nigerian educationist who is best known for being the president of the National Union of Nigeria Students at the forefront of the Ali Must Go protests.

Dr. Eddy Olafeso, the immediate past South West Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party was a Student Union President in University of Ife (Now O.A.U.)

These are examples of foremost activists who equally excelled in their chosen professions. No wonder they could take on activism with passion without falling to the temptations of bread and butter. Activism was their passion.

To excel, Activism should be a PASSION and not a
PROFESSION