Speak to the Street

• Author: Sam Muller
• Date: October 18, 2018

I was walking down the street with Nelson, one of the regional finalists of our 2018 Innovating Justice Award. He’s co-founder of Gavel (and, more visible: @citizen_gavel on Twitter). A social enterprise that calls itself “a civic tech organisation aimed at improving the pace of justice delivery through tech”. As part of the entrepreneurship training we give the finalists we ask the justice entrepreneurs to speak to the street. Find and talk to justice customers. Learn what they need. How they need it. When they need it. What they do when they need it. This was a busy street in Lagos. We met Frank. Or actually, he met us.

“Can ask what you are doing?”, he asked.

“We are doing research about justice” replied Nelson, “Can we ask you some questions?”

“Of course you can.” Frank was eager.

“Have you ever faced police brutality?”

“Oh yes!”, he shot back.

“It was connected to a family member…”. He talked so fast I could barely follow. He had stood up to the police over a minor occurrence involving his car. They had come to his house. Arrested two family members – including young boy. Frank was well embedded in his community so the neighbours had come to the kafuffle. The matter had been settled by an implicit agreement not to settle. The police withdrew and let the family members go. It was clear to Frank that that’s where he should leave it. He’d wanted to report it higher up but he did not think that would be a good idea.

“I want to be proud of my country!” he said at the end, visibly emotional. “I want to feel safe and have justice!” There is no justice here. We are not safe. If I could leave I would leave. For my children. Nobody cares about us. I see the police do this all the time. They wait for a small traffic thing. Something that is nothing. Then they grab you.“

“Would you be interested in an App that would allow you to quickly report these types things?” asked Nelson.

“YESSSS!”, Frank responded, his eyes opening wide. “Give it to me now and I will immediately give it to all my family members and friends!”

We thanked Frank and walked on. Our next interviewee was a second hand TV seller in a small pavement shop that only had a roof.

“Police? Oh yes..”, he replied. “I sold a TV to a policeman. After 2 months he came back and said it was broken. We had agreed on a 2-week warranty. He wanted me to fix it. I said he would have to pay for it. He threatened me. He wanted to arrest me. Take me to jail for all kinds of reasons. He threatened to take another...