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.

Link:

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5554258-147/story.csp

It just started. We are prepared to take more steps in making sure that our voices are heard! Thanks you to my brothers and sisters that made yesterday thick.

nice move. hope it will yield the much needed positive results

it is getting merrier day by day. We have given ourselves to our so called leader to mess up for such a long time, it is getting to a time that they will know we mean business. Revolution has started in this country and with time other places also will catch up.

I hope they know what they are doing? Hope they are not just embarking on a jolly merry-go-round sojourn!!

Great moves by our youths its about time that we all rise up and say enough is enough.


@ POSTER
Try and change the title of the tread it gives the impression that the people are protesting against the lagos state govt . Instead of bad governance in nigeria.

Whether we realize or not, a silent revolution has started and the forthcoming 2011 general elections will determine what becomes of us.

NSNA:

This should be a weekly affair until there is change. say every Saturday

saturday wont sell, enough engagements(9ja good ppl, parry ppl), lets say evry monday- no work or school

snthesis:

saturday wont sell, enough engagements(9ja good ppl, parry ppl), lets say evry monday- no work or school

rofl.

enough is enough, we must get it right come 2011. God help us don't turn Your back on us

D title is definitly misleadg. Dey ar protestg bad governance, lak of infrastructure in Nigeria as a whole and nt as d title suggestd. Jst watchd it on Channels Tv.

This is a nice move if they deviate don't from the real struggle!!!

We need sth like this in Northern Nigerian like Kano etc,

I would be happy to join them if KANO NETWORK OF NGOS (KANET) can do sth like this

LETS TAKE CHARGE OF OUR DESTINY

NSNA:

This should be a weekly affair until there is change. say every Saturday

By that you would RUIN it all. You don't want this to become some expected event, and protests only go so far. They are definitely needed but they are not all. Look at what teabaggers are doing in the US. They not only protest, they sign petitions, call their senators and even get the media, and the courts to hear them.

nice start, next is to chase away old people.look at what happened in kyrgyzstan.

canuck:

Not so, Koko-J, according to the 3rd edition of Tea Party Express schedule in the link below, 'teabaggers' rally every two days!

http://www.teapartyexpress.org/tour-schedule-3/

That it works in the US (a schedule) does not mean it will work in Nigeria. We all know our politicians tend to ignore us when we protest, let alone when we protest on schedules. The last thing we want is to have them reschedule their saturday meetings, or leave town on saturdays because they know we protest on saturdays in their areas.

Like the teabaggers, protesting is NOT the only route to take. Not saying anyone should resort to violence or any of that extra name calling but there are other things that have to be done, especially in Nigeria to get our voices heard loud and clear. Like I mentioned, petitioning government, representatives etc. Calling on courts to pursue law breakers, etc.

toideve:

enough is enough, we must get it right come 2011. God help us don't turn Your back on us

And how do you propose that we get it right in 2011? All the candidates are gonna be the same recycled corrupt individuals, so tell me how you get that right? By choosing the least corrupt without rigging or what?

hauler:

And how do you propose that we get it right in 2011? All the candidates are gonna be the same recycled corrupt individuals, so tell me how you get that right? By choosing the least corrupt without rigging or what?

a) By educating the masses on the portfolios of each and every one of the leaders

b) By pushing that the public instead understand the power that is given them in our democracy

c) By using that power in the courts and at the grassroot level to ensure that no matter who makes that seat next year, the power have a last say in all matters

Wat was d purpose of d rally? No purpose.

What was d result of d rally? No result



Quote from post
“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.


When u don't represent any party wat do u intend to achieve, u are not endorsin any candidate but u are askin dat we defend our votes, even if d votes are for d criminals who would loot this country dry.

Let the youths be more progressive in their thoughts nd actions, in d past wen Gbenga Daniels was a student at UniLag led a protest march 2 Awolowo 2 express their support for his actions, its not just enough 2 protest but let d protest be result oriented else govs nd political leaders wld continue to shun us.

canuck:

You drew a comparison with US teabaggers to say weekly protests will not work. I don't think anyone is calling for an imitation of the US approach here.

No, I did not! Read my post again. The first part of my second statement (right before the and)  was on the weekly protests. The comment on the teabaggers applies to the second part where I state that protests only go so far. Mentioning the teabaggers, was to point out that protesting alone, will not get us to where we need since we had so much of it earlier this year, and most of late last year and still ended up with no change.

canuck:
If we have one or two sporadic protests, without developing into a groundswell of civic consciousness (consistently demanding better governance), then I agree with you.

A pillar of accountability in management requires having one neck to choke - The fat necks of Naija's politicians are ripe for choking with protests, petitioning, media blitz, etc.

Ripe for choking, yes, but we need to be strategic in our moves as well. Protests only go so far. I would like to see more Nigerians backing lawsuits that make demands on the government. Gani tried over and over to do this but failed, mostly because he did not have the backing of the people in most of the cases. Earlier this year, a northern ex-senator filed a suit with the courts which prompted the courts to give EXCOF an ultimatum. There was not enough backing and so that suit never yielded much then, and even now.

who are they protesting against the lagos state government or the federal government? hum,

abrazonic:

who are they protesting against the lagos state government or the federal government? hum,

I tire o. Infact when I saw the header I thought Tinubu had taken his doomed scheme to another level.

lol @Splashbaby !!!

You mean say this is all in preparation for this years AWARD show ? ROFLMAO!!

Nice to know that people are finally really tired and doing something to show their frustration. . . . However, hope they will be heard

They are protesting from lagos . Why not go to Abuja, their home states or states that are totally run down and confront their public officials? Protesting from afar is nothing, the politicians wont even watch it on TV.

Let the enoughisenough upgrade to collecting signatures for petitions to recall chairmen councillors reps senators .that shud make our leaders sit up sharp sharp when they realise that 4 4 years no sure for dem

Kobojunkie:

a) By educating the masses on the portfolios of each and every one of the leaders

b) By pushing that the public instead understand the power that is given them in our democracy

c) By using that power in the courts and at the grassroot level to ensure that no matter who makes that seat next year, the power have a last say in all matters

@kobojunkie
Remind me to ask you that same question again when the candidates are revealed, then lets see if that answer you gave me will be applicable at the time.