Popular Nigerian musician Folarin Falana (Falz) and comedian Debo Adebayo (Mr Marcaroni) have rejected the invitation of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to a peace walk.
Sanwo-Olu earlier today (Tuesday) revealed plans to organise a peace walk in December 2021 in commemoration of the #EndSARS movement.
He further extended an open invitation to youths, civil society groups, journalists, students and other stakeholders to join him in the peace walk.
Notable among the invitees are celebrity campaigners of the #EndSARS movement which include popular musician, Folarin Falana (Falz); comedian, Debo Adebayo alias Mr Macaroni; Seun Kuti, son of the late legendary singer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, and Segun Awosanya.
Reacting to this, the duo of Macaroni and Falz rejected the invitation.
Taking to his Twitter page, Mr Marcaroni said genuine peacemaking should begin by first implementing the recommendations of the panel as he noted that some victims of the event were still in prison while some were wallowing in grief.
In a series of tweets, he wrote, “The last walk wey I do, na so dem bundle me, strip me naked, brutalize and dehumanize me. I no carry gun, I no carry weapon.
“As dem dey beat me, dem dey ask why I dey disturb Mr Governor. Now dem say make I come do walk. For another round of beating??
“Abeg o. If I wan lose weight, I go go gym. Same peaceful walk wey Nigerian Youths do wey dem kill them? Some are still in prison.. some have gone into hiding. Their lives no longer theirs all because we decided to walk against police brutality.
“Mr Governor has said it in his speech. That to be a center of Excellence, we have to be a Center of Truth. Before there can be healing, the government has to be sincere. There must be acceptance of wrongdoings and willingness to correct them.
“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.
— DeboMacaroni (@mrmacaronii) November 30, 2021
“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.”
— DeboMacaroni (@mrmacaronii) November 30, 2021
Falz, on his part, described the ‘walk of peace’ as a joke and disrespectful.
He wrote, “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? #EndSARS.
This suggestion of a âwalk for peaceâ 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 ? #EndSARS
— Bop Daddy (@falzthebahdguy) November 30, 2021
“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? #EndSARS.
“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? #EndSARS.”
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 ? #ENDSARS
— Bop Daddy (@falzthebahdguy) November 30, 2021
But Segun Awosanya popularly known as Segalink said Sanwo-Olu has shown leadership with his mature response to the current controversy.
Segalink, in his reaction, said: “Mr Governor @jidesanwoolu has shown leadership with this matured response and we hope the WhitePaper will mirror his sentiment. We all want closure, Justice and healing for our society. The experience of 20th October 2020 must never be repeated. #EndImpunity.”
Meanwhile, several Lagos residents have taken a swipe at the governor for calling for a peace walk rather than ensuring that justice is served.
Below are some of their comments on the microblogging platform, Twitter:
The only healing here is justice. The perpetrators must be prosecuted. The only healing to ensure that those killers paid the price of killings. Lai Muhammad must apologise for his statement on the report. Victims must be compensated. That is the only healing.
— Focus 24/7 (@FalolaSegun11) November 30, 2021
Sanwoolu na joke. Lagosians are not stupid. He has invited Segun Sega Awosanya and Dele Farotimi for a peace walk after he committed a crime of murder. Why didn’t he invite the grieving parents to come and walk with those who killed their children? Dude is a joker.
— Oluyinka Oyeniji (@YinkaOyeniji) November 30, 2021
Accept the panel report first and stop threatening the panels , compensate the victims then peace talk .
— Sinachilo (@sinachilo) November 30, 2021
