S’West govs, monarchs meet, demand more protection for region
The South-West governors, traditional rulers and other leaders of thought on Sunday decried the violence that followed the hijack of the #EndSARS protests.
At a ‘Peace Dialogue’ hosted by the Lagos State Government at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Alausa, the six South-West governors and other stakeholders demanded more police protection in the region.
President Muhammadu Buhari was represented at the event by the Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
All serving members of the Federal Executive Council from the region and Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu attended.
Buhari, who spoke through Gambari said, the #EndSARS protests indicated the frustration of the youth, who had been ignored for a long time in governance.
He said the political class must equip the young people with skills that would make them competitive in market.
The President said the reforms which the youth clamoured for would be done and cases of abuses would be pursued to logical conclusion.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said he believed the dialogue would open a new chapter of peace and prosperity in the South-West.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, upbraided the political class for lack of consultation with political institutions, but noted that the dialogue would bridge the gap of communication between political leaders and traditional leaders.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, faulted the unitary system being practiced.
“The arrangement has led to insecurity and restiveness”, he added.
Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi said, “security must be fortified in the region to protect the economy of the South-West”.
He also called for the creation of South-West Development Agenda to revamp and rebuild the destroyed assets.
The Oba of Lagos said politicians were the cause of the #EndSARS protests, saying unemployment contributed to the problem.
At the end of the meeting, the participants issued a 13-point communique which was signed by Akeredolu and Ooni of Ife.
It reads partly, “The security architecture of the country requires adjustment to adequately address the threats and realities of insecurity in the country. There should be more police presentce in communities in the South-West states”.
The dialogue called for a comprehensive programme that addressed youth employment while empowerment should be prioritized.
“We recognize the damaging and negative impact of fake and false news. We call on Federal Government to use the instrumentality of existing laws and regulation, bench-marked from other countries to provide safeguards against the spread of fake news. The 2015 Cyber Act must be fully used”, the communique read.
The stakeholders also demanded a review of reports of past constitutional conferences and implement some of the recommendations, especially with reference to security, economy and equal treatment for citizens.
Meanwhile, a Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere Egbe Ilosiwaju Yoruba, has urged the All Progressive Congress, (APC) to review the report of the El Rufai/Adetunmbi committee on restructuring which was set up in 2017.
This was part of the communique issued by the group at the end of its meeting in the residence of its leader, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye on November 3.
The communique was signed by Durojaiye and the secretary of the group, Bayo Aina.
The communique partly read, “We call on leaders of the APC to commence a review of the report of the El Rufai/Adetunmbi committee on restructuring which was set up with a view towards presenting the same for legislation in order to move the country forward”.
The group also commiserated with the people of the South-West whose properties were affected during the #EndSARS protests.
“We sympathize with Lagosians and our people across the South-West zone such as Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu and Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Oyewumi Ajagugbade, whose personal properties were affected, including those and many other people from the region and other places in Nigeria whose daily living might have been affected by the consequences of the protest.