Musician Folarin Falana (Falz) and comedian Debo Adebayo (Mr Marcaroni) have rejected the invitation of Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to a peace walk for “the healing of Lagos”.
The duo, in their separate reactions, rejected the invitation.
Mr Marcaroni said genuine peacemaking should begin by first implementing the recommendations of the panel
Falz, on his part, described the ‘walk of peace’ as a joke and a very disrespectful one at that.
But Segun Awosanya popularly known as Segalink said Sanwo-Olu has shown leadership with his mature response to the current controversy.
Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, had invited some known faces of the EndSARS protest in the state in October 2020 to a peace walk slated for December.
The Governor, in his speech, specifically invited Folarin Falana (Falz), Debo Adebayo (Mr. Marcaroni), Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya (Segalink), Adedotun (Just Detoun), Seun Kuti, Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu and Commander of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), CSP Yinka Egbeyemi and others to join him in the “historic march for our dear Lagos.”
Reacting, Mr. Macaroni said: “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.
“Mr Governor has said it in his speech that to be a Centre 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. 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,” he said.
Falz said: “This suggestion of a ‘walk of 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?
“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,” he added.
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.”