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Why #EndSARS Protesters Visited The Lekki Tollgate – Ezekwesili

Published

2 years ago

October 3, 2022

Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, a former minister of information, claims that the political class in the Nigerian government ignored the protests of young people, which is why they went to the Lekki Toll Gate to express their resentment..

Ezekwesili clarified the matter on Sunday night’s episode of Politics Today, a well-liked program on Channels Television.

Between October 7 and October 20, protests against #ENDSARS were held in Lagos and other federation states.

Families, friends, and colleagues of missing people claimed security personnel had killed or imprisoned their loved ones during the protests.

On October 20, 2020, security personnel opened fire on #ENDSARS demonstrators at the Lekki toll gate, leading to anguish, tears, and blood.

The shooting event sparked outrage on a national and international scale, and the Lagos State and Federal governments were requested to determine who the shooters were and where they were stationed.

However, according to Ezekwesili, if the governments at all levels had given the youths a listening ear, the situation might have been avoided.

The minister said that although the office of the citizen is the most powerful office in the world, the political class functions as a monopoly with the citizens on the perimeter.

She said, “Let’s focus on what happened on October 20, 2020. This was when young people rose to say we are tired and you need to listen to us. They made a statement but they were not listened to.

“Unfortunately, it was mischaracterised differently from what the young people were saying. Sometimes I wonder how things would have been different in this country if those in governance are willing to listen.

“What we have is a monopoly democracy. Now the citizens are realising it and some people are actually mocking the development.”