Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has cancelled the Walk for Peace.
It was cancelled because of the rise in illnesses arising from the onset of the Omicron-variant of the COVID-19 virus.
The walk had been touted to smoothen frayed nerves arising from the events leading to and from the Lekki Toll Gate incident of Oct. 20, 2020.
Shortly before the release of the White Paper, the Governor had asked youths to join him in the peace walk “to herald the healing of the land.”
But they insisted that the recommendations of the panel should be fully implemented.
On Thursday, Governor Sanwo-Olu in a statement said, “We subjected ourselves to the dictates of science. We chose to be guided not by our emotions, but by expert opinions rooted in science. Between Tuesday 30, November 2021 that I made my address and now, we have seen a significant rise in cases associated with the Omicron variant of this pandemic.”
“Given this development, I am constrained to stand down all preparations for the Walk for Peace. I will not endanger the life of any Lagosian in my sincere search for peace,” he said.
The governor had earlier said that many groups had expressed their willingness to join him in the walk.
According to him, “I have been inundated with deep expressions of solidarity from various groups and people declaring their readiness to join me on the symbolic walk.”
He mentioned civil society leaders, business leaders within and outside of Corporate Lagos, religious leaders, members of the diplomatic community, entertainers, market associations, trade associations and women groups.
When the governor mentioned the walk in his address on Nov. 30, he invited youths, calling on the likes of Folarin Falana (Falz), Debo Adebayo (Mr. Marcaroni), Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya (Segalinks), Adedotun (Just Detoun), and Seun Kuti, to join him.
Most of the youth activists invited declined, demanding the full implementation of the recommendations of the report of the Judicial Panel on Police Brutality and the Lekki Toll Gate incident.
