The Lagos State Governor has provided the reason for the cancellation of the proposed ‘Walk for Peace’, aimed at healing the state after the violence that trailed the 2020 #EndSARS protests especially the Lekki Tollgate shootings. The governor said the peace walk planned for the month of December was cancelled to prevent the spread of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant which has been recorded in the country.
This was made known in a statement personally issued by Sanwo-Olu on Thursday, in which he stated that he is constrained to stand down all preparations for the Walk for Peace so as not to endanger the life of any Lagosians in my sincere search for peace.
The governor expressed a special debt of gratitude to the youths and students, who reached out to either members of his team or directly to him, expressing their readiness to join on the planned Walk for Peace.
What the Lagos State Governor is saying in the statement
The statement from Governor Sanwo-Olu reads, ‘’Since my last address to you, the good people of Lagos State on Tuesday 30, November 2021, during which I expressed a desire to lead a Walk for Peace, following the outcome of the work of the Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters, I have been inundated with deep expressions of solidarity from various groups and people declaring their readiness to join me on the symbolic walk.
‘’Indeed, I owe a special debt of gratitude to our youths and students, who reached out to either members of my team or directly to me, expressing their readiness to join me on the planned Walk for Peace. They include many of our Civil Society Leaders, business leaders within and outside of Corporate Lagos, religious leaders, members of the Diplomatic Community, entertainers, Market Associations, Trade Associations and Women Groups who have committed time and resources to prepare for the Peace Walk. I thank you all.
‘’When the unseen enemy called Covid-19 began to ravage the world and indeed our nation, I assumed the role of the Incident Commander in our quest to protect the lives of our people. We subjected ourselves to the dictates of science. We chose to be guided not by our emotions, but expert opinions rooted in science. Between Tuesday 30, November 2021 that I made my address and now, we have seen a significant rise in cases associated with the Omicron variant of this pandemic.
‘’Given this development, I am constrained to stand down all preparations for the Walk for Peace. I will not endanger the life of any Lagosian in my sincere search for peace. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support the initiative received from far and near. The deluge of support is, however, indicative of one thing: our people know the strategic place of peace to our quest for development.’’
Sanwo-Olu also pointed out that he looks forward to engaging with Lagosians as they work for peace.
What you should know
Recall that in the aftermath of the controversy that trailed the White Paper report on the findings of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on police brutality and Lekki shootings, Governor Sanwo-Olu, had invited Lagosians including some right activists and entertainers, for a historic peace walk in December, as part of measures to the healing of the state in particular and the country in general.