Seun Kuti, son of Afro-beat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti has rejected Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s invite for a peace walk as part of efforts to ensure harmony in Lagos State.
Rejecting the invitation just like other celebrities, the music star, during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, November 30, noted 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.
The singer insisted that the governor must ensure justice is served for victims of police brutality before peace walk.
“I want peace after justice,” he said on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’
“I don’t need to walk next to the governor before there is peace in Lagos; there has been peace in Lagos before many years and nobody have to walk anywhere for it.
“If there is justice, then we can discuss peace. In fact, there will be no need to walk for peace because justice itself is the walk of peace. The governor should walk the walk he is talking about by giving us justice.”
Reacting, Falz in a thread on his official Twitter place said the walk for peace sound like a joke and very disrespectful.
According to the rapper, many youths were murdered during the End SARS and justice has not been served yet.
His tweet read: “This suggestion of a “walk for 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 ?
Falz opined that nothing must be swept under the carpet, adding that for Lagos to be a smart city , it must be a just one.
“In this same speech, you said “To be a smart city, we first must 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?
Falz concluded “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?”
Macaroni, in a tweet on Tuesday, said he declined the invitation because recommendation made by the Lagos State panel on End SARS has not been implemented.
“ 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.
“Finally, I’m not at war with anyone. Not with the Government, police or politicians.
“All we are asking is that our leaders place value on our lives as citizens and lead us with love, fairness, truth and justice, to enable all Nigerians live a better life in peace and unity.”
The Governor had invited EndSARS front runners in a speech on Tuesday ahead of the release of the white paper on the report #EndSARS panel which also probe alleged Lekki shootings of October 20, 2020.
The governor said, “In December, I will be leading A WALK FOR PEACE to herald the healing of our land. Let me use this occasion to extend an open invitation to our youths, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society groups, students and the media as well as other stakeholders to join me.”
Falz, Macaroni, Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya (Segalink), Adedotun (Just Detoun), Seun Kuti; Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu; and Commander of Rapid Response Squad CSP Yinka Egbeyemi and others were among the names the governor called to join him in the “historic march for our dear Lagos.”
Sanwo-Olu also said his government would release its White Paper on the report submitted by the EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry on November 15, 2021.
