O rganizers of the ‘End Hunger’ protest in Lagos have announced plans to resume their demonstration at Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, on Monday, August 5, 2024, following recent comments by President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement released on Sunday, signed by Hassan Taiwo, Ayoyinka Oni, and Adegboyega Adeniji on behalf of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Organising Committee, the group expressed their dissatisfaction with the President’s response, which came three days into the protests.
The statement follows President Tinubu’s broadcast earlier in the day, where he acknowledged the protesters’ concerns and urged them to suspend their demonstrations in favor of dialogue. The organizers viewed this as a partial victory for their movement but criticized the President for a dual approach—offering dialogue while also demanding an end to the protests.
“We consider the President’s decision to address the nation an important victory for our movement,” the statement read. “Without our courage and resolve to dare the odds, even this acknowledgment would not have happened. So far, we have demonstrated that a President is not greater than the rest of the country.”
The group also condemned recent violence against protesters, including attacks by thugs during a Sunday morning worship session and an incident where a protester was struck on live television. They criticized the President for “approbating and reprobating at the same time,” suggesting that offering dialogue while suppressing protests is contradictory.
The organizers have called on Nigerian youth and the general public to join them at Gani Fawehinmi Park at 7 a.m. on Monday for the fifth day of protests. They also urged the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, the media, and the Nigerian Bar Association to support their cause and not “stand idly by” amidst the ongoing suppression.
The Lagos State government had previously described the protests as peaceful, though recent footage has shown clashes between protesters and hoodlums.
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