By Abdullah Abdulganiy
Just when the Nigerian populace — governments and citizens — are yet to come to terms with the fallout of the notorious EndSARS protest that held the whole country to ransom, some vociferous young persons, most of them on Twitter and other social media platforms have been mobilising for a fresh protest. Their grouse: The verdict of the Lagos State Judicial Panel that the Lekki Toll Gate return to operation appears not to sit well with them.
Saturday, 13th of February, 2021, a sprinkle of these young persons took to the Toll Gate to hatch their protest plan even after forewarnings. Whether their grouse about the return of the Lekki Toll Gate is justified or not would be a subject of debate. What’s not debatable however is their right to protest. It’s fundamental and inalienable.
Nevertheless, in doing so, it’s important that other people’s rights are not infringed upon. We all own this country and are entitled to certain rights. Essentially, exercising one’s rights should never be an avenue to cause discomfort for others. Many will agree with me that the fresh Lekki Toll Gate protest like the previous one fails on this ground as the protesters moved to block access roads.
It is also my considered view that despite the constitutional recognition of citizens’ right to protest, there should be a demarcation between legality and rationality. You cannot because of your freedom to move go to unsafe places. This should also be the case for the Lekki protesters in view of the destruction and havoc wrecked by their EndSARS demonstration. Many lost their lives, just as valuable property and businesses crashed in one fell swoop. There was anarchy in the land and the demonstration ended up a free for all.
Therefore, it is confounding that in the face of all these realities, some youths would still stand up to sue for fresh protests. That’s most disturbing. If only they were in the shoes of the woman whose shop was burgled and valuables carted away. If only they were in the shoes of that man whose business grinded to a halt due to the curfew declared to arrest the violence that enveloped many states. A fresh protest at this time is irrational even if legal.
I would not also understand why these youths are going against the reopening of the Lekki Toll Gate. They said it’s a crime scene. So, how long will it be shut? Forever? After series of investigation, it even turned out that what they touted as the Lekki Massacre was fake and best an imagination. Not a single person has appeared before the constituted panel as a victim of the so called Lekki Massacre.
Some analysts have argued that they are afraid. If they were not afraid to take the bullet by going to Lekki, why should they be afraid to say they are a victim? It’s quite befuddling. Again, I want to believe the Lekki Toll Gate was standing on its own when these protesters went to it to press home their agitations. So, I wouldn’t know the offence of the Toll Gate. The Toll Gate will not serve the victims justice if they deserve any. It’s the powers-that-be.
A protest at this point in time is a knee-jerk decision. The country is witnessing heightened tension like never before due to various secessionist agitations and what appears to be ethnic intolerance. Add that to the COVID-19 palaver and the economic meltdown the world is contending with. Taking fresh protests into it especially when we are fully aware of its resultant challenges in the recent past might mean a national conflagration. The question to ask now is: Can Nigeria withstand such and do we have any other country to rightfully call ours?
At worst, these protesters should find an enclosed environment to do whatever protest and stay away from causing discomfort for others when exercising their own constitutionally granted right. It’s very important!
