PROTESTS AND THE WHIRLWIND THIS TIME

Sanwo-Olu’s appeal for peaceful protest in Lagos has paid off, writes Bamidele Adesina

Like every practicing christian, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, believes in the promises of God. He believes in the positive prophetic declaration in the Book of Nahum that “affliction shall not rise up a second time.” and so, it has been. 

The news of an impending nationwide protest, early scheduled to start on July 29 but later moved to August 1, must have gotten many people thinking of what would be the fate of Lagos State.

Almost four years ago, Lagos went through fire and brimstones; one moment of its most harrowing experiences in history. it was when the #EndSARS protest happened. It was not just an ill wind, it was a terribly evil whirlwind that left the state in a terrible shape. When the dust settled, state properties and assets valued at trillions of naira had gone to ruins. Those assets have not been completely restored today. 

It is, therefore, to Sanwo-Olu’s credit that no ugly incident was recorded in the first two days of the #EndBadGovernment protests in Lagos State. that he was able to handle the potentially explosive situation in a manner that insulated the ever boisterous state from the sad tales of woes from other parts of the country, especially the northern flanks, is not just commendable but essentially an eloquent testimony of his broad- minded world view about democratic tenets.

The question has been how did he manage to do it? Having faced the raging and almost implacable fires of the #EndSARS protest when he was less than 18 months in office, he must have taken away invaluable lessons from that sad episode. 

It would seem that Governor Sanwo-Olu addressed his mind to the rights of the citizens to protest. having come to terms with that reality, his challenge was what must be done to mitigate the possible negative and untoward side effects of the protest. 

In an unpretentious manner, Sanwo-Olu declared on the eve of the planned protest that “we can’t afford another #EndSARS experience”. his reason was simple and factual — the state is yet to recover from the effects of the #EndSARS protest. 

Addressing Lagosians on the need to shun violent protests in the state, Sanwo-Olu said that the state is yet to fully recover from the mindless destruction of some symbols of the rich and enviable heritage of the state during the EndSARS protest.

He was, however, mindful of not placing a blanket ban on protests. his call was for “a peaceful demonstration”. In an emotional but firm address to the people of the state, Sanwo-Olu said, “Lagos has always been a beacon of hope, a city of refuge, a city of resilience and a melting pot of our diverse cultures. No other state reflects the assemblage of the brilliance and energy inherent in our diversity as a people like Lagos. 

“For a few weeks now, the nation has woken up to threats of protests aimed at what the organisers have called an end to the bad government beginning from August 1-10, 2024.

“While the original proponents of the idea of 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 con

stitutionally provided for are disturbing.”

 In the very engaging and subtle address, Sanwo-Olu asked very fundamental questions that easily disarmed many of his hearers. 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 10 days? Will the protest suddenly ensure the prices of foodstuff drop by the 11th day? Will shutting down the economy for 10 days inspire the 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.”

Such deeply lacerating and thought provoking questions must have gone far in dousing the tension that had built up over the weeks and days before. 

Realizing the futility of fighting fire with fire, Sanwo-Olu’s resort to diplomacy, appeal and a “We’re one and together approach” has paid off handsomely. no threats. no “we versus them posture” and the rest is history. 

His recourse to invoking the dark and frightening ghost of October 2020 #EndSARS in a profoundly haunting recollection, went a long way to achieving his objective, too. 

Hear Governor Sanwo-Olu again: “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 – 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, seven 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.

“We must remember that our shared goal is a peaceful and prosperous Lagos. The consequences of unrest are not just measured in the damage to property or disruptions to daily life; they are also felt in the loss of confidence, the fear instilled in our communities, tourists and foreign investors and the setback to our economic and social progress.”  Such a moving address  is unparalleled.

One other visible step taken by administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu was the decision to make timely contact with recognised non-indigene communities in the state through their leaders and elders. the effort paid off significantly as the two prominent and hugely populous communities of Arewa and Ndigbo committed themselves not to join the protest. 

The Arewa community and traders in Lagos, made up of mostly traders, distanced itself from the national protests, saying “we won’t be part of the gang up to set Lagos on fire and bring down Tinubu’s government”.

Speaking during a world press conference held at the Lagos Airport Hotel in Ikeja, on Wednesday, the leader of the Arewa community and traders in Lagos State, Alhaji Shehu Usman, said his people are totally against the proposed national protests and will not be part of any plan to cause trouble in Lagos State. The Arewa community, therefore, urged all their members not to partake in an exercise they regarded as “sponsored protests” by “faceless groups and individuals.”

They declared that “we believe we don’t need any national protests against the administration of President Bola Tinubu at the moment, especially when there are a lot of transformations and people-oriented policies being carried out by the Bola Tinubu-led government.”

Forging alliances and getting critical stakeholders to his side was one of the masterstrokes Sanwo-Olu deployed in taming the whirlwind of this time around. 

That’s why you can get such reassuring words like: “as Arewa community and traders in Lagos State, we want to say unequivocally that we will stand against any protest against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos State. We are against any protests in Lagos State because we don’t want any destruction in the state. We are in support of peace in Lagos and Nigeria.

“Lagos State has been home to many of us for many years, and we will not support any attempt to destroy the state in the name of protests by some faceless groups and individuals. We are against the protests, and we want all our members not to participate in the national protests.” 

The Igbo community was not left behind. Renowned for its enterprising spirit, it also rejected the idea of protest which has the potential of disrupting their businesses. The community’s position was made known by the coalition of Igbo political and social-cultural groups, as well as market leaders in Lagos State. 

The coordinator of the coalition, High Chief Anselm Njoku, made their position known at a press conference also held at Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

The coalition, made up of 16 large groups, which included the Council of Ndieze in Lagos, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, South-east forum in Lagos, Igbo Mandate, Seven Igbo towns unions, Igbo speaking community, Igbo vision APC Lagos, Igbo market men and women associations, and Ndigbo in pc, advised Igbo traders to stay home and not open their businesses on days of the protest, fixed for August 1 -10, to avoid being attacked.

The Igbo stakeholders noted that while there is no dispute that there is hardship in the country, the current economic situation bedevilling the country is not limited to Nigeria and was not caused by the incumbent government led by President Bola Tinubu.

Njoku said, “We are distancing ourselves and the entire Ndigbo in Lagos from the planned protest by some unscrupulous, faceless elements, who are partly using Igbo nomenclatures to fan the embers of agitation. Nigerians should develop a culture of dialogue with the government and deploy constructive criticism without resorting to unnecessary provocative protests and violence.

“It is in this regard that we enjoin all Igbo of all extraditions, stakeholders, residents, traders, and captains of industries not to join in the protest. Lagos is Yoruba land, and Ndigbo, who are residents here, have contributed immensely to its development, so they cannot be used, coerced in whatever form, to destroy assets.”

Apparently satisfied with the turn of events so far, the Lagos State government wasted no time in commending the peaceful nature of the protest in the state. It was simply a very far cry from the madness of four years ago. 

Commissioner for Information and strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, in a statement on Friday said having “watched closely today’s protest in some parts of the state and would like to put on record the peaceful conduct of Lagosians. This is the way it should be in our dear state, according to Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“We have also noticed the slowdown of business in some parts of the state, perhaps because of the fear that hooligans and architects of anarchy might force their evil design on us all and endanger our harmony. Thankfully, that did not happen. To a large extent, Lagosians have chosen to embrace peace and shun the path of destruction while expressing their views and constitutional right to protest.

“The message of the protest – hunger in the land – has also been well noted. It is, however, important to reiterate the fact that the federal government is taking steps to reverse the situation. Besides opening the national grains reserve, the federal government has suspended import duties on food items – a measure that will, no doubt, ensure that the current food shortage is addressed and high prices are rolled back. We will work with all food distributors to ensure that our citizens enjoy the resultant price reductions. 

“On our part, as Mr. Governor has promised, the popular Sunday markets will return with its 25% discount on all major food items. The medical outreach, which offered thousands of our people treatment free of any charge whatsoever, will also return. We are finalising the logistics for its implementation. We will continue to ensure that all expectant women enjoy free delivery in our hospitals. The 25% slash in fares on all our transport facilities will continue. So will all the other measures we have put in place to relieve Lagosians of the burden of these times.”

The Lagos State government reiterated the call to all the protesters to go back home having made their voices heard. It also commended the security forces for being professional. And that is vintage Sanwo-Olu. Like they say, big things come in small packages. Sanwo-Olu has tamed the whirlwind this time around.

· Adesina writes from Lagos