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Yesterday, several
hundreds of young Nigerians, including musicians, professionals, and
students, engaged in a peaceful rally in the shimmering sun for about
three hours to the Lagos State Governor’s Office in Alausa.

Amongst the many
protesters, led by president of the Campaign for Democracy, Joe
Okei-Odumakin, were popular singers like Banky W, Eldee, Sound Sultan,
Roof Top MCs, actor Rita Dominic and comedian Ali Baba. The rally was
organised by a group called Enoughisenough Coalition, who had organised
a similar rally in Abuja on March 16. According to a statement, the
group is a collection of smaller bodies “spread across the country that
have worked with communities and in the grassroots for the past 10
years.”

The group’s demand
include electoral reform, an end to corruption, an overhaul of the
nation’s security structure and electricity, to which the group said
“6, 000 megawatts will not solve the electricity problems of Nigeria
but it’s a good start.”

The march

Some of the
messages on the placards carried at the protest include “Jos on our
minds,” “Light up Nigeria”, “Protect your vote,” “Jonathan We are
Watching,”. There was loud music from a hired public address system,
with the song, “She na like this we go dey dey?”, by Wande Cole, as one
of the crowd’s favourites.

The match, which
began at the Arch Bishop Vining Memorial Church Open Field, went
through Obafemi Awolowo Road, and terminated at the gate of the
Governor’s Office.

The Lagos heat did
not deter the marchers, who turned to the many vendors selling fluids
to quench their thirst. The crowd, which had most wearing white
t-shirts with inscriptions, attracted many on-lookers, some of whom
supported their cause.

“I was not informed
of this particular rally but I like things like this,” said an
onlooker, Tuoyo Tsekiju, a marketer. “Change will always come and I
like the way the youth are going about seeking for change. The time has
come for a change in Nigeria.”

“We are all
clamouring for good governance and from the look of things these people
are all youth. It shows that Nigerian youth are now ready to pick up
the challenge of leadership,” an auditor, Idris Adelabu. “If I had
known (of the rally) in time, I would have participated.”

Different capitals, same outcome

A considerable
contingent of police officers was on hand to ease traffic issues and
quail any potential disturbance. This is a reversal of what transpired
a month ago when gun-carrying police officers barred a similar group of
youth at the main gate of the National Assembly in Abuja and prevented
them from seeing the leadership of the Assembly.

In yesterday’s
case, while the police officers were helpful, again the protesters had
to go away angry when all attempts to get the governor the executive
arm of the Lagos State government to receive their letter of protest
failed.

Sources said the
governor was in the Acting President’s entourage to high-powered
meetings in Washington DC, USA. However, the governor did not designate
a representative – even though the protesters showed a letter received
and signed by his Chief of Staff as proof of ample notice.

The Speaker of the
House of Assembly, Yomi Ikuforiji, after making contact with the
organisers, tried to come out to address the crowd, but by then they
had lost their patience and the organisers declared the rally closed.

One of the organisers of the rally, Chude Jideonwo, cleared the air about the group’s objective.

“This organisation is not affiliated to any party or any person,
(and) has no interest in endorsing any party or any person. We just
want young people to go and exercise (their right to) vote. Just make
sure that your votes are counted, the elections are free and fair;
don’t leave polling booths until the process is ended and we protect
our votes, with our lives if necessary,” he said.