- Falz, Mr. Macaroni, other famous artistes join the car procession at the Lekki tollgate
By Kehinde Okeowo
Runtown, Yvonne Orji, Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde, Jidenna, Cynthia Erivo, and Jackie Aina are some of the famous Nigerian celebrities who made a video on Instagram in support of the EndSARS movement.
In the video, the popular figures took turns to salute the courage of Nigerians for commemorating the EndSARS a year after.
They also commended Nigerians for rising against injustice, corruption, and abuse of power by the police, and demanded an end to police brutality of all kinds.
” We join with all our brothers and sisters who are rising to declare enough is enough,”
“Over the last two weeks, we have seen young Nigerians rise with the courage and determination to stand up against injustice, corruption and abusive power by the police and specifically the special anti-robbery unit also known as SARS,”
“‘Police is your friend.’ That’s the official motto of the Nigerian police, but friends don’t extort, rape, steal, torture or murder,” they continued. “We join with all our brothers and sisters who are rising to declare enough is enough.” the celebrities said
The Nigerian celebrities chastised the Nigerian government for not learning anything from the protest, as lack of transparency and accountability persist.
They called for justice for the lives lost as a result of police brutality, and demanded action from the Nigerian government saying: “We need transparency and accountability because corruption is a disease that can only be completed with clear processes that are open to the public,”
“We demand justice, and we demand it now, Nigerians are rising, Africans are rising, the diaspora is rising, so we call on all our elected leaders to rise and listen to the people. Our lives matter.”
Meanwhile, as that was going on online, another set of Nigerian celebrities which includes the likes of Nollywood actor and rapper, Falz The Bhad Guy, Comedians Mr. Macaroni, and a host of others joined the car procession at the #EndSARSMemorial protest at Lekki tollgate in Lagos.
This is despite the ban on protests in Lagos by the Lagos police Command and the heavy presence of armed police personnel at the tollgate.
The celebrities and other activists who turned up at the tollgate were seen honking, and waving Nigerian flags from their cars while singing solidarity songs.
The year EndSARS memorial stems from the alleged killing of some of the protesters, who had gone out to protests against police brutality and bad governance last October by the Nigerian army.
The peaceful protest later snowballed into civil unrest, which led to the destruction of private and public properties by hoodlums who hijacked the protest
A panel of inquiry that comprised stakeholders from all walks of life was later instituted in Lagos.