TEXT OF AN ADDRESS BY GOVERNOR BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU ON THE EVE OF THE PLANNED NATIONWIDE PROTEST ON WEDNESDAY 31ST JULY 2024
1. My Dear Lagosians,
Today, I stand before you as your governor and steward of your sacred trust, deeply committed to the well-being and prosperity of our great state and all residents. Lagos has always been a beacon of hope, a city of refuge, a city of resilience and melting port of our diverse cultures. No other State reflects the assemblage of the brilliance and energy inherent in our diversity as a people like Lagos.
2. For a few weeks now, the nation has woken up to threats of protests aimed at what the organisers have called “an end to bad government” beginning from 1st to the 10th Day of August 2024. 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.
3. It is pertinent to ask, is protest the practical catalyst for progress the nation require 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.
4. 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.
5. Are quick fixes options available to government? I doubt that.
6. Just this week, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR signed the new minimum wage into law.
7. As I address you today, student loans are being disbursed to relieve indigent parents and students of the financial burden of getting tertiary education. As part of the promised devolution of power, the Local Governments have been granted financial autonomy to guarantee efficiency of that tier of government and bring governance closer to the people. Also, the foreign exchange crisis is being tackled in a creative manner that will surely yield the desired results. Besides, the Federal Executive Council has approved the sale of crude oil to local refineries in Naira denomination. This, experts have said, will save the nation at least $7.9 billion annually and strengthen the Naira.
8. The Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is attracting private investments into the establishment of conversion and refueling centers across the country. We know that CNG will bring down the cost of transportation and commuting significantly.
9. Why then should there be a protest? All that we require now is to be patient for the benefits of the economic recovery policies to blossom. Protests can never achieve in 10 days what carefully crafted economic reforms can achieve in matter of weeks and months. More than ever before, our nation is blessed with a courageous leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR). Let me assure you that, Nigeria is headed in the right direction and the benefits of these hard reforms will percolate to all.
10. As a State, we are not unaware of the effects of the economic reforms on our people. To cushion the effect, you would recall we 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% 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% 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.
11. 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. In fact, the least paid Lagos State Worker earns more than the National Minimum Wage.
12. Can we do more? Yes; we can do more and we will!
13. Just this morning, over 2000 graduands of our skill acquisition centres were supported with various equipment to start their micro businesses-barbing, tailoring, hairdressing, welding etc.
14. The popular Sunday Ounje Eko Discount Markets will 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.
15. 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?
16. 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.
17. Peaceful protests are fundamental rights protected by the constitution in a democracy as ours. But 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. 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.
18. 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, 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.
19. Fellow Lagosians, 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.
20. As your governor, I assure you that our government is open to dialogue and committed to addressing the concerns of all citizens. We are actively engaging with various stakeholders to find solutions that promote justice, equality, and fairness. It is through constructive dialogue, not destructive protests, that we can achieve meaningful change.
21. I urge you all to consider the potential repercussions of joining a protest that may, once again, expose us to the fiendish actions of those who do not admire our unity and common compassion for our dear state. Let us not allow our city to be plunged into chaos again. Let us work together to build a Lagos that is safe, secure, and prosperous for all. Our strength lies in our unity, and our future depends on our collective efforts to maintain peace and stability.
22. In these challenging times, we must stand together as one community. We must reject violence and disorder and, instead, embrace dialogue and collaboration. Let us show the world that Lagos remains a city of resilience, where the voices of its people are heard and respected through peaceful and lawful means. Let us say NO to violence!
23. It is important for me to also share a word of caution that we have begun to see a trend in which fake news, false news appear on via video and audio recording on social media. They are are meant to destabilise us, to break us and to make this place completely ungovernable and unliveable for us.
24. We have also seen the outcome of the court judgement that the government needed to get clarification, that if it is a true and peaceful protest, two locations, which were part of the recommendations coming from the event of four years ago, have been designated.
25. I am therefore reiterating that the Police have confirmed to us that the Gani Fawehinmi Park and the Peace Park that we all jointly set up are two locations where the Police have assured us that they would cover and provide all the necessary security arrangements to all of our citizens.
26. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Together, we can continue to build a brighter future for our beloved Lagos.
27. God bless Lagos State.
28. God bless Nigeria.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu
Governor, Lagos State
31st July, 2024.
