Good Governance Tames Shrew Of #EndBadGovernance Protest In Lagos

With echoes of devastating effects of the #EndSARS protest of October 2020 still all around Lagos State, many people believed that the #EndBadGovernance protest was carefully planned to nail the coffin of the nation’s commercial nerve centre. But as GEORGE OKOJIE writes Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s good governance and tactful handling of the protest saved the city from destruction.

When Julius Caesar said a long time ago that, ”Ut est rerum omnium magister usus” which roughly translated means, Experience Is The Best Teacher, he merely stated the obvious. The veracity of the statement found practical fulfilment in the recent #EndBadgovernanceinNigeria protest which saw incidents of death, looting, anarchy and harassment by security operatives across various parts of the country.

A popular idiom has it that, ‘Once Bitten Twice Shy’, from the very time the notice of the protest was issued by the faceless organisers, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State knew it was time again to battle a familiar terror.

Sanwo-Olu, a governor who has repeatedly shown capacity and demonstrated his ability to provide leadership at troubled times, especially as incident Commander of the highly dreaded COVID-19 pandemic, where Lagos was the epicentre and during the EndSARS protest immediately started strategizing.

Suffice to state here that it was not for nothing that Lagos, one of the most populous states and of course the most volatile state in the country was not consumed by the recent #EndBadGovernanaceInNigeria protest. The city was not consumed because the people trusted with leadership positions did their jobs diligently and Lagosians have trust in their God.

The question observers were asking is that if actually what was planned was a national protest and not a national anarchy, how come a few hours to the commencement of the protest Improvised Explosive Device (IED) were being planted in very strategic points in Lagos State? For instance a few hours to the commencement of the protest, the Lagos State Police Command anti-bomb squad foiled an Improvised Explosive Device attack in the Ikeja area of the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer,  Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that a vigilant police officer reported that a young man alighted from the car, carefully dropped a bag by the side of the Nigeria Customs Service Federal Operations Unit fence, returned to the vehicle, and sped off.

Hundeyin said the area was immediately cordoned off while the IED experts were deployed to the spot.

He further disclosed that the IED was taken to a safe distance where it was detonated around 4 pm the same day.

At this point a lot of discerning minds realised that the ploy was to unleash mayhem and perpetuate evil and the different groups and students in the state started taking their stand against the planned protest.

Youths from across the five divisions of Lagos, under the aegis of Lagos Indigenous Youth Network voiced their strong opposition to planned nationwide protests by some aggrieved people, declaring that they were not in support of the exercise, which they noted the Intelligence gathered so far revealed it was politically motivated and not in the interest of the peace-loving and hardworking Lagosians.

Leader of the group, Mobolaji Ogunlende, alongside others, including Lekan Biliamin Adebowale, Prince Temitope Oshoja, Mosajo Kehinde affirmed that they were not against the citizens constructively engaging their leaders when it’s crucial to do so.

Ogunlende said, “Lagos Indigenous Youth Network rejects moves to destroy Lagos under protest guise,” said the youths, who are indigenes drawn from across the state, came “together to Defend #OurLagos against any possible destruction by agents of violence masquerading as lovers of the people,” who he pointed out were motivated only by “their selfish interest.”

Ogunlende, who sadly recalled the #EndSARS episode, which witnessed numerous facilities, built with taxpayers’ money burnt down and yet to be rebuilt with the same, urged all Lagosians, especially parents, to caution their children against joining the protest, adding that it was not a wise thing to participate in.

In the same vein, the Coalition of Igbo Political and Social-Cultural Groups, Lagos State distanced itself from the proposed hunger protest and urged Igbo traders in the state to stay home and not open their businesses on days of the protest to avoid being attacked.

The coalition which is made up of 16 different Igbo groups in Lagos noted that while there is no dispute that there is hardship in the country, the current economic downturn is not limited to Nigeria and not caused by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State, Sunday Ossai said the Igbo in Lagos have always been wrongly accused of organising protests in the state which has always put their lives in danger.

“Ndigbo have always been wrongly accused so we have come out to deny accusations against us. We don’t know anything about organising the protest, Ndigbo are not part of it. We are innocent. I appeal to Ndigbo to be cautious of their movements and urge them to stay home and not go for their businesses on the day of the protest,” Ossai said

Corroborating Ossai, the Coordinator of the coalition, Anselm Njoku while speaking on behalf of leaders of the groups noted that Lagos is a Yoruba land and Ndigbo who are residents in the state have contributed immensely to its development, adding that they cannot ‘be used, coerced in whatever forms to destroy assets.’

“We are not destruction prone and cannot be part of those seeking to destroy what we partly built. Ndigbo are not wired for destruction but develop wherever we are residing” he said.

The Arewa Community and Traders in Lagos State were not left out; they strongly voiced their opposition against the scheduled protest, saying they were not going to be part of the protest .

Leader of Arewa Community and traders, Alhaji Shehu Usman said the group led by him does not believe in the protests as there was no need for such against the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the moment.

Usman said this was especially so because a lot of transformation and people-oriented policies were being carried out by the Tinubu-led government, even as he expressed the belief that some fifth columnists, who wanted to set Nigeria, particularly Lagos on fire, were behind the protests for selfish interests.

“The Arewa Community and Traders in Lagos State are totally against the national protests and we are not going to be part of any plan to cause trouble in Lagos State.

“We want to implore all our members not to take part in any protest being organized by faceless people. We don’t believe in the protests because we don’t think we need any national protests against the administration of President Bola Tinubu at the moment, especially when there are a lot of transformation and people-oriented policies being carried out by the President Bola Tinubu-led government.

“We are not in support of the protest because we believe some fifth columnists, politicians and those who want to set Nigeria, particularly Lagos on fire, are behind the protests for selfish interests,” he said.

Usman, while noting that every Nigerian has the constitutional rights to protest peacefully, maintained that “the drums of war being beaten from various quarters in the country based on the demands of those championing the national protests, targeting Lagos State, the home state of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not be allowed by the Arewa Community and Traders in Lagos who are living in different parts of the state.”

The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the ruling of Justice Emmanuel Ogundare of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja that restricted organisers and any other persons in Lagos taking part in the proposed August 1 nationwide anti -hunger protest as it were to the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and Peace Park in the Ketu area of the state.

Justice Ogundare gave the order after listening to an ex parte application filed by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), seeking to maintain and secure public safety and prevent irreparable loss of lives and property in the state during the period of the protests.

Joined as co-defendants in the suit were: Adamma Ukpabi and Tosin Harsogba (for Active Citizens Group); Comrade Juwon Sanyaolu and Hassan Soweto (for Take it Back Movement); Persons unknown and Commissioner of Police, Lagos State.

Pedro had argued in his application that as the Chief Law Officer of the State and having been privy to notices by different interests who are for and against the nationwide protest, there is the need to protect the critical infrastructures of the state and prevent an irreparable loss of lives and property as witnessed during the EndSARS protest in 2020.

Pedro maintained that the Police in the state do not have sufficient manpower to provide security support for the protesters who planned to protest in all the local government councils and public highways and other areas of public access in the state.

The AG also submitted that there is a need to prevent the protest from being hijacked by hoodlums who are prepared to breach law and order and cause destruction in different locations in the state in the pretext of public protest against alleged bad governance.

He stated, “In recognition of the citizens’ fundamental right to stage public protest against government policies and actions but prevent unlawful destruction of lives and properties in the process, the Lagos State Government has designated two public spaces and locations in the State where citizens can meet and converge to protest or express their displeasure against government. The locations are Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos State and Peace Park, Ketu, Lagos State.

“Public protest in all the local government councils and public highways as well as other areas of public access in the State for 10 days is a deliberate plan to shut down the State and if this is allowed it will amount to economic sabotage.

“An order of court is required in the circumstances so as to protect the fundamental rights of 1st to 5th Defendants/Respondents to protest and other residents opposed to the protest to go about their lawful without harassment, disturbance and destruction of public buildings/properties.”

In a bench ruling, Justice Ogundare granted all the reliefs sought in the application.

Still leaving no stone unturned, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu addressed Lagosians and appealed to whoever had the intention of joining the planned protest to restrict their activities to designated protest grounds in the state.

The governor while appealing to the conscience of the residents said protest was not the solution to the challenges facing the country.

He said, “It is pertinent to ask, is protest the practical catalyst for progress the nation requires at 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. Are quick fixes options available to the government? I doubt that”, the governor affirmed.

He said peaceful protests are fundamental rights protected by the country’s constitution; however, vowing to sack an elected government in 10 days by means of protest is alien to the constitution.

Appealing further to the protesters, he said:” 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 their acts. After all, there cannot be fifth columnists if there are no columns. If your protest gathering becomes a column, then there can be fifth columnists.

“I appeal to you all that we reflect on our past experiences during the tragic events of the EndSARS protest in 2020. What began as a peaceful demonstration was, unfortunately, 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”.

As the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest ended in Lagos State, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu had since commended the residents for rejecting anarchy and conducting their protest peacefully.

The governor who spoke through the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr.Gbenga Omotoso said he has opened a new engagement with channels between the government and the people.

The commissioner quoted the governor as saying: “Your stoppage of the protest today is a crystal clear affirmation of the fact that you know your collective voice has been heard by the government. What you have done is not only noble but the civilized thing to do.

‘’In demonstration of the Lagos State Government’s commitment to continuous engagement with the youth, Mr Governor has directed that despite the stoppage of the protest, the dialogue and engagements which the state government initiated prior to the action I must continue.

“Consequently, Mr. Governor has directed the Ministry of Youth and Social Development; Ministry of Information and Strategy and Office of Civic Engagement to immediately open wider channels of engagement with various stakeholders, including the protest leaders.”

He said the Executive Council members in charge of the Ministries can be reached on the following dedicated Citizens Access Lines:  Office of Civic Engagement +234 802 522 4347 ; Ministry of Information & Strategy +2348119655788 : Ministry of Youth & Social Development +2347077178295

He added that, “Now it is fit and proper to, once again, warn our citizens to be very vigilant. Those who seek to divide us are yet to give up. They may continue to post fake news via audio and video channels. Lagosians must never give room to war mongering, scare mongering and rumour mongering. That is not our way; that is not who we are. That is not our style.

“Mr Sanwo-Olu, once again, praises Lagosians for rejecting anarchy and embracing peace. He praises the professional conduct of all security agencies, the Police Command, Department of State Services, the military, Civil Defence, and Neighborhood Watch.

‘’The Governor notes with great pride the roles of our traditional rulers, Civil Society Organisations, Community Leaders, Religious Leaders, Students Leaders and others, who ensured Lagos remained peaceful.”

He urged all Lagosians to continue their businesses without any fear whatsoever.