‘No justice, no peace,’ as activists decline Gov. Sanwo-Olu’s invitation to participate in Lagos peace walk

Rights activists have declined the invitation by the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babjide Sanwo-Olu to them to participate in a peace walk this December planned to ‘ herald the healing’ of the state from the trauma of the EndSARS protests and Lekki Toll gate shooting incident of October, last year.

According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State ‘deserves true healing after the disturbances that trailed last year’s protests against police brutality.’

However, the invited activist have reportedly declined the invitation, as they demanded justice and restitution for the families of protesters who lost their lives during the peaceful rally at the Lekki Toll gate, last year.

Sanwo-Olu who offered the invitation while speaking during a live broadcast held at the State House, Alausa, on the State Government’s position on the recommendations of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on EndSARS submitted a fortnight ago, said the State currently faced the hard choice of restoring harmony or doing itself a great harm, urging residents to join his administration in strengthening harmony and put the State on the path of peace.

Sanwo-Olu asked residents to reject those fueling anarchy and suspicion, clinging to unsubstantiated belief that carried no weight of verifiable evidence, while choosing emotion over facts.

His administration, he said, is ready to facilitate better communication between the youths and the State’s security machinery to resolve issues before they become intractable.

He said he would be leading ‘A Walk for Peace’ in December to herald the healing of the land, extending an open invitation to the youths, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society groups, students and the media as well as other stakeholders to join him in the Peace Walk.

The Governor specifically invited Folarin Falana (Falz), Debo Adebayo (Mr. Marcaroni), Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya (Segalinks), Adedotun (Just Detoun), Seun Kuti, Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu and Commander of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), CSP Yinka Egbeyemi and others to join him in the “historic march for our dear Lagos.”

“Nobody will build this city for us. Let us show the world who we are. We are Lagosians. A people of great renown, driven by the irrepressible spirit of Lagos. It is a testimony to our strength and resilience as a people that, despite the huge losses incurred because of these terrible incidents, we have bounced back, with our economy as vibrant and virile as ever. I have no doubt whatsoever that our prospects are as bright as ever and the best lies ahead of Lagos State and Nigeria.

“We will make it easier for our young people to initiate formal complaints on human rights violations through the Ministry of Justice. We will also improve the coordination between the state government and the security agencies, including the police and the military. In this vein, we are studying how to improve security policy formulation, information sharing, and clarifying rules of engagement in times of social unrest.

“Just as we have established a mechanism to compensate all those who lost homes, businesses, and livelihoods to the violent destruction of October 2020, we shall also establish a detailed procedure for the just compensation of citizens with verified claims of police brutality committed during the protests.”

Speaking on last year’s EndSARS protests and the events that followed, especially the hijack of the protests by hoodlums, which led to the destruction of public and private property worth billions of naira, the Governor said the Government, the youth, protesters, the Police and other security agencies have learned the appropriate lessons from the EndSARS protests, particularly the Lekki Tollgate incident, with a view to averting any recurrence to the detriment of the State,” the governor said.

On mixed reactions following the release of the report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry, Sanwo-Olu said his administration remained committed to the process that would bring a closure to a “painful episode” in the history of the state.

He recalled that the panel was originally inaugurated to investigate allegations of police brutality committed by the disbanded SARS and in the aftermath of what happened on October 20, 2020, as he decided to expand the mandate to include investigating what happened at the Lekki Tollgate that night.

However, in a twist, several of the activists invited to participate in the December Peace Walk turned down the offer of the government, as they insisted on justice for the abused victims of the protest.

Music star, Seun Kuti rejected invite for a peace walk noting that he ‘doesn’t need to walk next to the Governor before there is peace in the state.’

Seun Kuti further stated that the first step in bringing peace in the state, is to ensure justice for all victims of police brutality and human rights abuses.

He said; “I don’t need to walk next to the governor before there is peace in Lagos.

“The governor should walk the walk he is talking about by bringing about justice. The governor is not an embodiment of justice, Seun Kuti is not an embodiment of justice, Falz is not an embodiment of justice, Mr Macaroni is not an embodiment of justice also.”

On his part, Nigerian musician Folarin Falana (also known as Falz) called the plan by Governor Sanwo-Olu, to lead a ‘walk of peace’ as a ‘disrespectful joke.’

Falz in a series of tweets on Tuesday while reacting to the governor’s invitation said: “This suggestion of a ‘walk of peace’ sounds like a joke and a very disrespectful one at that. People were murdered in cold blood and absolutely no iota of justice has been served more than a year after. How can there be peace without justice?

“In this same speech, you said ‘to be a smart city, we must first be a just one.’ Remember the young Nigerians that had their lives snatched away by weapons wielded by our own armed forces?

“You want to sweep that under the carpet? Is that how to establish a just city? #EndSARS.”

He also reiterated that police brutality and violation of rights persist across the state and the government pretends to be unaware.

“Young Nigerians, till today, are still being constantly harassed and extorted by police officers!! You were awfully quiet about that. Or are you not aware? #ENDSARS,” he wrote.

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Another invitee, Debo Adebayo (Mr Macaroni), ‘humbly’ decined the invitation by the state governor, assaying: “The last walk wey I do, na so them strip me nak3d.”

The skit comedy maker and outspoken critic wrote: “I humbly decline the invitation of Mr Governor. The government themselves set up a panel. The panel has made recommendations. I believe that genuine peacemaking will begin by first implementing the recommendations of the panel.

“Then we can begin to trust the government. The last walk wey I do, na so them bundle me, strip me naked, brutalize and dehumanize me.  I no carry gun, I no carry weapon.As dem dey beat me, dem they ask why I dey disturb Mr Governor. Now dem say make I come do walk? For another round of beating?”,

Popular Nigerian activist, Rinu Oduala responded to Governor Sanwo-Olu’s invitation as she queried his motive for ‘the healing of Lagos.’

In reaction to the invitation, Rinu took to her social media page to say Governor Sanwo-Olu, ‘willalone.’

She wrote: “Mr Gov. You willalone. No, no@jidesanwou. Do the necessary, stop performative actions!”