By CHIMEZIE AMANZE
LAGOS — PRO-LABOUR civil society group, under the umbrella of Joint Action Front, JAF, has said it had concluded plans to hold a “political memory” on Saturday, in honour of those killed and injured by security operatives during the popular struggle of January 9 – 16, for the reversal of the fuel price hike.

Briefing newsmen, the group reiterated the martyr status of Comrades Chima Ubani and Tunji Oyeleru, who died on September 21, 2005 in a motor accident on their return from the Maiduguri rally against hike in fuel prices, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Alao Aka Bashorun, Chief Gani Fawehinmi and others.

Chairman of JAF, Dr Dipo Fashina, said the memorial was scheduled to kick off from the Nigeria Labour Congress, Yaba, Lagos, in a procession through Ikorodu Road to Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Square, Ojota for prayer/mass rally.

He said: “JAF is doing this in collaboration with religious and professional groups, in particular, the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA; Lagos State, and Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja and other that joined forces with us throughout the struggle and have remained worthy partners.

“We must emphasise that an important element of the political memorial is the need for a prayer session to be conducted as well as full service by Muslims, Christians and other faith-based groups.”

“We note that one of the gains of the last struggle was the active participation of religious groups across the country, in particular, the novelty which Christian and Muslim groups introduced in some major centres such as Kano, Lagos and Ibadan, with use of the prayer sessions to demonstrate the role of religion as a unifying element towards national cohesion, social justice and human centred development,” he added.

The political memorial, being the 40th Day is aimed at encouraging religious groups and leaders to offer special prayer for the martyrs and victims of the struggle of January 9 – 16 and the living; and the need for Nigerians to see religion not as a divisive factor, but one that should unite all, irrespective of religious belief, ethnicity and sex, as a community of human beings desiring maximum welfare and happiness in our society.