On 20th January 2012, NBA Ikeja branch members were received by Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola S.A.N and the Lagos State Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye.
The branch chairman, Adebamigbe Omole on behalf of the branch first commiserated with Governor Fashola on the recent loss of his uncle and then stated its concerns: embarrassing developments in Lagos State - specifically the presence of soldiers on its streets which was a breach of the fundamental rights of the people and which was uncalled for, there being no state of emergency to warrant their (soldiers) presence and so something had to be done.
Branch Chairman Omole, a senior branch member - Mr. Femi Falana and the branch’s General Secretary, Adesina Ogunlana then presented the Letter of Protest to Governor Fashola. Thanking the Bar for coming, the Governor stated that he had written to the President on the matter. He said politicians must learn to tolerate criticism of their policies and that the story about the soldiers being members of Operation MESA (a team created and funded by the Lagos State Government) was untrue. “Operation MESA does not occupy streets and they go about their duties in their branded vehicles, “ he stated. Governor Fashola added that Lagos state was doing something about the situation and people should remain calm and peaceful that the people of Lagos had fought and won many battles and this would be no different.
NBA IKEJA PRESS RELEASE AT:
http://www.nbaikejapressrelease.blogspot.com
Monday, 16th January, 2012 at about 11.30 a.m, NBA Ikeja branch members got to the Gani Fawehinmi Park at Ojota. There we discovered that a ring of police, navy and army officers had cordoned off the Park. We demanded access into the Park as it was our constitutional right to be able to assemble there and we were directed down the lines to their leaders until we got to one Lt. Col. A.A. Alabi. We read him Section 40 & 41 of the Constitution. We told him that their Commander-in-Chief had sworn an oath to obey the Constitution. He was polite but unyielding – they had been instructed not to allow people into the Park. We then went to the Labour House at Yaba. We were still there when we heard the announcement that the leadership of the NLC/TUC had called off the strike!
OUR POSITION: The NBA Ikeja intends to sue the Federal Government for preventing us from exercising our fundamental rights as well as seek the possibility of extending opposition to the N97 fuel price which is unacceptable.
Yesterday’s, ‘8TH CHIEF GANI FAWEHINMI ANNUAL LECTURE’ was very well attended with a packed hall. The people (from Lagos and Oshun states) who followed the Guest of Honour, Governor Rauf Aregbesola alone numbered over a hundred. All the invited Guests including Justice Pius Aderemi (Chairman) and Professor Omotoye Olorode (Guest Speaker) came in good time.
The programme started with an inter-law faculty quiz among 4 universities. This year’s Lecture was one of the best ever in terms of scholarly depth and analysis of the topic which was made from the socialist perspective of the Nigerian situation. The Guest Speaker (Prof. Olorode) concluded that revolution was inevitable in Nigeria ; rebellion against the status quo arrangement of the economy and politics. According to him, “Nigeria is being run by leaders brainwashed by western world perspective which is the perspective that can only lead to further exploitation of the Nigerian state.” The Lecture was received with a standing ovation. Governor of Osun State, Engr. Rauf Aregbesola on his own part warned against the hijack of the struggle by military forces which would only pull the nation back. At the programme’s end, a hundred people smiled home with 3 free books (including law reports) each.
THE STRIKE CONTINUES. HOWEVER WHETHER SIT-AT-HOME AND/OR RALLIES? NBA IKEJA MEETING AT THE BAR CENTRE BY 7 A.M TODAY 16TH JANUARY, 2012.
Morning of 13th January 2012, we went to Labour House – the Secretariat of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) at Yaba. From there, a Fuel Price Hike Protest Procession to Mushin on foot, was organized. Our numbers swelled to about 3000 as we proceeded. We stopped at various points along the way to address the people and the message was very well received. At Mushin, Labour leader and former ASUU President, Dr. Dipo Fashina once again addressed the crowd. Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja branch chairman, Adebamigbe Omole also spoke.
Thereafter, we joined a motorcade to Oshodi. There was nobody to address as the usually ever busy Oshodi was deserted (everyone was probably in Ojota). We disbanded to allow the muslims in the motorcade go for Jumat service.
We got to Ojota around 2p.m by which time the Save Nigeria Group had announced the suspension of the Protest until Monday but we still met about 3 million protesters who refused to go home - it had a carnival like atmosphere. Stayed about 40 minutes and returned to our Ikeja High Court base. SUBJECT TO OUTCOME OF TALKS GOING ON WITH THE GOVT., FUEL PRICE HIKE PROTEST RESUMES ON MONDAY 16TH JANUARY, 2012.
Thursday morning (12th January 2012), saw an increase in the number of lawyers that turned up at the Ikeja High Court for the Fuel Price Hike Protest.
We joined the NLC/TUC train on a condolence visit to the family of the murdered Ademola Aderinto at Ogba.
Two boys masquerading as part of the train of protesters were arrested by the crowd while robbing passersby. The train moved to Agbotikuyo junction at Agege and held a rally there. The rally was addressed by Dr. Dipo Fashina, a.k.a “Jingo.” His message was clear: Resistance to the fuel price hike must continue. “Enough is enough!,” reiterated Dr. Fashina.
We then made our way to the the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Ikeja to
stage a protest; saw many intending passengers who appeared stranded.
All through the city, there was total compliance with the strike order of the NLC/TUC. There were masses of protesters gathered in many areas of Lagos - from Lagos Island to LASU. However we heard reports of some small criminal gangs in a few neighbourhoods setting up roadblocks for extortion or even outright robbery of passersby.
The NLC/TUC train decided to move on to Ikorodu but we went to the Gani Fawehinmi ‘Freedom Park’ at Ojota. The crowd of protesters there was even more than the previous day; at least 3.5 million! The police there were so overwhelmed by the sheer number of people that they just sat in their vans while some people made fun of their barking dogs. Never before has such event recorded a crowd of such gargantuan proportions! Crowd control at this Ojota rallying point has been almost entirely in the hands of the Save Nigeria Group and by self policing, while the NLC/TUC Group has been
quite strategic, carrying out sensitization campaigns to various parts of the metropolis.
We eventually made our way back to our ‘war camp,’ the NBA Ikeja Secretariat for victuals. Around 4p.m, Mr. Femi Falana showed up and commended the bold stand of the NBA Ikeja. PROTEST CONTINUES TODAY, 13TH JANUARY, 2012. EXPECTING YOU THIS MORNING TO JOIN US.
More people joined us (Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja members) yesterday, 10th January, 2012 as we marched in protest in Lagos on the 2nd day of the fuel hike strike and we were at least 700,000 in number as we marched from Yaba to Tafawa Balewa Square. Tense moment though on Lagos Island, as we encountered a group of about a hundred ‘area boys’ – they are usually engaged in turf wars and they could have hijacked the situation; some motorists actually began to reverse in panic, however they allowed us pass without incident upon sighting our banner. THE PROTEST CONTINUES TODAY 11th Jan., 2012.
