…reflects on #EndSARS scars on Lagos

By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The planned protests #EndBad Governance, commenced across the Nation on August 1 with mixed reactions. While it was peaceful in some states, like Lagos, it was violent in other states, like Abuja.

The protest slated for 10 days is being organized by agitators demanding improved leadership and governance, end to corruption, among others from governments, particularly the Federal Government, FG.

As early as 9 am, placards carrying protesters stormed Ikeja Under Bridge and marched to Ojota where they converged on the Ikorodu Road shunning police entreaties to move inside designated parks in the area.

A court ruling had restricted the movement of protesters to designated locations in Lagos, which are: Chief Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park and Peace Park, both in Ojota, but protesters defied the order as they converged on Lekki-Epe Toll Gate for demonstration.

The protesters displayed placards with various inscriptions such as; Tinubu Let Nigeria breathe, We are dying of hunger, End corruption, President Bola Tinubu Save us from hunger, We can’t afford 2 square meals per day. Foodstuffs are unaffordable, Nigeria is bleeding,” among others.

As the protests, sparked by economic hardship, entered its third day yesterday, organizers vowed to continue until President Bola Tinubu addressed their demands.

Damilare Adenola, Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, a non-governmental organization, announced the continuation of the protests during an appearance on a television programme.

In a surprising development, Adenola distanced his group from human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, stating that the Senior Advocate of Nigeria does not represent their interests, despite his previous attempts to seek security protection for the rallies.

“Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa is not our lawyer and he doesn’t speak for us,” Adenola said.

“He might have presented himself as the solicitor, but he is not hungry. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who lives well. He is not hungry like the people taking over the streets.”

Adenola stressed that the protests, originally planned for 10 days, might extend beyond that period depending on the government’s response. He stressed the importance of the government addressing the protesters’ demands to halt the rallies.

“We are waiting for the government to respond to us and address our demands. And until then, the protests continue,” Adenola declared, noting that while their demands have not yet been met, the protests have made a significant statement to the current administration.

Adenola underscored that the protests have demonstrated to Nigerians their ability to hold leaders accountable. When asked about potential sponsorship of the protests, he attributed the driving forces to hunger and economic deprivation.

“If the Federal Government is sincere and concerned with the plights of the people, the President would have addressed the demands of the protesters by now,” Adenola stated.

The protests continue to draw attention nationwide as citizens demand action from their leaders.

A 10-point demand was listed which are: The 10 demands are as follows: End hunger, reducing the cost of food immediately, with solutions like food importation, subsidised credits, and intervention in logistics and storage challenges, Cost of living; address the rising cost of living: Reduce pump price of fuel to N195 per litre to reflect current economic challenges; Reduce electricity tariffs, and import taxes, insecurity: curb insecurity across the country: stop diverting security resources (money & people) and immediately prosecute known instigators & criminals, resettle internally displaced persons (IDPs) immediately.

Others are: cutting the cost of governance to reduce by 50 per cent the running costs of the executive and National Assembly and fully implementing the Oronsaye Report to scrap agencies and reduce the size of government. Scrap hardship, entertainment, and all other NASS allowances and immediately remove all 7,447 projects worth N2.24 trillion inserted by the National Assembly in the 2024 federal budget, release all #EndSARS protesters; obey ECOWAS judgement; provide security to farmers across the country, restore stolen lands, subsidise farm inputs – seeds, fertilisers, insecticides and ban destructive GMOs. Declare a state of emergency on education and increase budgetary allocation to education and healthcare by 20 per cent and revert to the old National Anthem.

Implement the Justice Uwais report on Electoral Reform and include mandatory electronic balloting and transmission to IREV, ending with an executive Electoral Bill to the National Assembly by October 1. The new Electoral Act must be signed by December 2024. Establish a living wage, constitutional and judicial reform.

Sanwo_Olu lists measures

Meanwhile, on the eve of the commencement of the protest, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu addressed residents in a state broadcast at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.

Sanwo-Olu, passionately, appealed to the organisers of the planned protests on the need to call off the action, saying the state was already addressing the demands which had been heard loud and clear.

He said his administration is deeply committed to the well-being and prosperity of the great state and all residents noting that the state has always been a beacon of hope, a city of refuge, a city of resilience and melting port of diverse cultures of Nigeria.

For a few weeks now, the nation has woken up to threats of protests aimed at what the organisers called “an end to bad government.” While the original proponents of the idea of the peaceful protests may have noble intents, some of the narratives it has occasioned about its instrumentality for change of government by another means other than the one constitutionally provided for are disturbing,” Sanwo-Olu stated.

He queried if “protest is the practical catalyst for progress the nation require at a this time? Will such a protest suddenly ensure that all of our challenges disappear in ten days? Will the protest suddenly ensure the prices of food stuff drop by the 11th day? Will shutting down the economy for 10 days inspire economic growth we earnestly desire? I hold the strong view that a protest at this time will do none of these things for us as a nation. Rather, it would roll back the modest gains that we have made in various facets of our socio-economic life as a people.”

“Are there challenges in our land? Yes. Is the government addressing them? Yes. So much is being done in many sectors to alleviate the pains of the people and prepare the path to lasting prosperity.”

On the efforts his administration is employing to tackle the demands made by the protesters, Sanwo-Olu said the state, was not unaware of the effects of the economic reforms on the people.

To cushion the effect, he recalled that his administration launched the EKOCARES, “our bespoke social protection initiative. Under this programme, we introduced the popular Sunday Discount Markets where residents bought basic foodstuff at 25 per cent discount rate across the State.

“Our Ounje Eko came as a form of immediate relief to hundreds of homes and millions of our vulnerable people. Similarly, under the EKOCARES Initiative, we reduced transportation cost by 25 per cent on all our public transport services. We introduced free delivery for expectant women in all our public health facilities. Besides, our Health personnel ran a Medical Outreach under which thousands of residents were treated free of charge.

“To cater to our tertiary institution students, we have increased bursary and scholarship awards to Lagos students to reflect the current economic realities. New entrants into our elementary schools do not pay a dime. Our workers earn the Wage Award announced by the Federal Government. The least paid Lagos State Worker earns more than the National Minimum Wage.

“Can we do more? Yes; we can do more and we will!”

He added that over 2000 graduands of the state skill acquisition centre last Wednesday received state‘s support comprising various equipment to start their micro businesses-barbing, tailoring, hairdressing, welding, among others.

The governor assured that the popular Sunday Ounje Eko Discount Markets would soon return. “So will the Medical Outreach to continue providing free medical care for our people. I have also signed an Executive Order to broaden the Ilera Eko Health Insurance Scheme.

“Against the backdrop of all these efforts and interventions-and many more that time will not permit me to list-we should sincerely ask ourselves: what will a protest be seeking to achieve at this time?

“Dear Lagosians, let me again assure that we are committed to improving the living standard of our people. That is the solemn pledge that we made to you while seeking your mandate and we intend to keep this pledge till our last day in office, “ Sanwo-Olu vow

He however stressed the need for a peaceful protest, maintaining that “vowing to sack an elected government in 10 days by means of protest is alien to our constitution. To the organisers of the protest, I repeat, while your intention may be noble, do not substitute your intentions with the motives of other forces. Your gathering is all they perhaps require to perpetrate theirs acts. Afterall, there cannot be fifth columnists if there are no columns. If your protest gathering becomes a column, then there can be fifth columnists.”

Reflects on EndSARS

He urged protesters to reflect on past experiences during the tragic events of the EndSARS protest in 2020. What began as a peaceful demonstration he noted, unfortunately was hijacked by elements with devilish intentions.

“They unleashed an unprecedented war on our state. We saw the destruction of valuable properties, the disruption of businesses, and sadly, the loss of lives in several parts of our dear state. These events left deep scars on our state and hurt our psyche. We are yet to fully recover from the mindless destruction of some symbols of our rich and enviable heritage–the Lagos High Court, Igbosere, the oldest and most recognisable court building in Nigeria built in the early 1860s and 15 other court buildings.

“Over 45 police stations were set ablaze, 12 Local Government offices burnt, 7 Fire Stations burnt, the Forensic Centre that was the best in West Africa, the iconic City Hall, the secretariat of the oldest Local Government in Nigeria, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) headquarters and traditional rulers’ palaces. They were all destroyed. So were several bank facilities, malls, shops, offices, hundreds of brand-new BRT buses and several other public assets.

“No true Lagosian or friend of Lagos will encourage us to go this route again. That is not who we are; that is not our way and that is not our style.”