The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu says he will be leading a walk this December to herald the healing of the wounds from the violence which trailed the EndSars/Lekki Toll Gate protests in the State.
Governor Sanwo-Olu made this known during a briefing at the Lagos House, Alausa Ikeja this afternoon.
The Governor who said he would be releasing the white paper on the report submitted by the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS related abuses and other matters later today, used the occasion to issue an open invitation to those in the forefront of the agitation for justice on the issues, members of the diplomatic Corps, the media and interest groups to join him on the walk.
“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.
Folarin Falana (FALZ). Debo Adedayo (MR. MARCARONI). Dele Farotimi. Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya(SEGALINKS). Adetoun Lanre-Adeniyi (JUST DETOUN). Seun Kuti, CP Hakeem Odumosu. CSP Yinka Egbeyemj, RRS Commander Join me on this historic march for our dear Lagos. Nobody will build this city for us. Let us show the world who we are. We ARE LAGOSIANS. A PEOPLE OF GREAT RENOWN, DRIVEN BY THE IRREPRESSIBLE SPIRIT OF LAGOS” he said
Governor Sanwo-Olu who indicated that his administration is not interested in engaging in histrionics, further inflaming inflaming passion on the matter, however emphasised his stance for truth and justice noting that it is easy to take sides, hide behind prejudices, treating them as deeper truths instead of superficial lies in times like this.
“To be a Centre of Excellence, we must be a Centre of Truth. To be a smart city, we first must be a just one. To be a prosperous state, we must establish ourselves as a peaceful entity. And to achieve the Greater Lagos of our dreams we must learn to live in harmony, even amidst inevitable disagreement.
In times like these, with anger and animosity too quick and fast at hand, it is easy to hide behind our own prejudices, treating them as deeper truths instead of the superficial lies they are.
It is far too easy to take sides and choose emotion over fact, even when the truth is to be found in shades of nuance. It is easy to choose darkness over light; to take perverse delight in playing unhelpful games of cynicism and suspicion; to cling to beliefs that do not carry the weight of verifiable evidence.
To become a champion of prejudice is to own a fleeting and false victory. It is a victory of rancor over reason, of vengeance over justice, of anger over compassion. Today, I stand before you to declare that I reject this path; and I invite you all to do same. The choice confronting us today is between restoring greater harmony or doing greater harm. I choose harmony over harm. As your Governor, it is my task to explain why all Lagosians should join me on this path that promises a more beneficial future” the Governor stressed.
The Panel of Inquiry submitted a two-volume report on November 15, and Governor Sanwo-Olu immediately set up a four-man committee, headed by the State’s Commissioner for Justice to raise a white paper on it within the next two -week, which elapsed yesterday.