Lagos “Peace Walk”: LAUSITES SHOULD REJECT THE IRRESPONSIBLE PRO-GOVERNMENT STAND OF LASUSU LEADERSHIP
“Peace Walk” without Justice is an Insult to the Memories of the Victims of Lekki Massacre and others killed in Lagos and across the country during the #EndSARS Protest
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) branch of the Lagos State University (LASU) condemns the leadership of the Lagos State Students Union (LASUSU) for pledging to walk with the Lagos State Governor. This “Peace Walk” is being organised by a governor who is trying to undermine the report of a Judicial Panel he set up to investigate the truth behind the events of 20 October 2020. To the surprise of the Governor, the panel in its report indicted the Lagos state government, the federal government, the LCC, the police and the army. The “Peace Walk”, following the release of the white paper which tries to water down the panel’s report while denying any massacre happened on 20 October 2020, is therefore an attempt to whitewash the truth and undermine the panel’s findings.
It is in this light that the support of LASUSU leadership is not only shameful but also unjust, irrational and a disgrace to the radical reputation of the LASU students’ community that makes us proud as LASUITEs. We are LASU, we are proud of being pro-masses and not in walking with oppressors.
However, we are not surprised by this call to support anti-people’s Governor since the leadership of LASUSU is more loyal to the school management than the students’ community. And this is not their first time of covering up for the oppressor.
As LASUITEs can recall, the same LASUSU has refused to join the campaign to unravel the cause of the brutal murder of one of the most courageous leaders of the union in recent times, Comrade Nurudeen Alowonle (Omomeewa) who was killed in front of LASU on 18 August 2021. They have not even for once being to the police station to write a statement let alone follow up on the police investigation. Neither have they paid any condolence visit neither to Omomeewa’s wife and son nor to his aged parents. On the day of Omomeewa’s burial, the LASUSU president failed to show up to pay his last respect on behalf of the union. Furthermore on the day of the candlelight march, the union president, the Dean of Student Affairs and other elements viciously attacked members of the ERC and radical students for circulating leaflets, posters and banners which accused the LASU authorities of having a hand in Omomeewa’s death. They also initially refused to lead the crowd of students to the spot where Omomeewa was killed until they had to bow to the will of students who stood their ground. This is how far these individuals who call themselves LASUSU leaders are prepared to go to side the oppressor against their own students interests.
What they are doing now with respect to the Lekki massacre is similar. Just as they helped the LASU authorities to try to cover up Omomeewa’s murder, they are now set to help the Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu to cover up the crime of the state during the #EndSARS protest and particularly on 20 October 2020. LASUITES must reject this.
There are more sane demands that LASUSU can put before the Governor that strongly agitate Lasuites minds: such as hike in school fees and discrimination in the payments between stream one and stream two; inadequate lecture rooms to decently accommodate students’ population for comfort learning environment; harassments of students by the campus security agents; lack of adequate toilets to improve sanitation in our campus. These are the demands that, if satisfied, will hold peace for LASUITES in the campus and not marathon walk of evil deception that will keep the Governor’s attention away from our needs.
Therefore, we encourage the students to reject, and express their opposition to, this call for betrayal by the 31st LASUSU administration. Students should demand that an emergency congress be convened for students to air their view on this issue. We must take our union back to the students, to the progressives and radicals.
While we sympathize with those that lost their loved ones, we assure them that ERC-LASU will never support any cover up by the state that murdered its fellow citizens, we will never walk with them, we will never run by their side, but we shall continue to rally more support, not only to fight for justice but to also ensure the revolutionary transformation of Nigeria state, from a murderous state to a Socialist state where the right to life and decent living condition of every Nigerian shall be guaranteed and protected
WE ARE LASU, WE ARE PROUD
Aluta continua! Victoria Ascerta!!
ERC LASU
ERC email: [email protected]