Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State Governor, has decided to step down all plans to embark on a peace walk with Lagos residents in commemoration of the #EndSARS protests.

The governor stated that his decision was necessitated by the rise in the Omicron variant of COVID.

“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,” Sanwo-Olu stated in a press statement he released on Thursday morning.

On November 30, the governor had specifically invited Folarin Falana (Falz), Debo Adebayo (Mr. Macaroni), Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya (Segalink), Adetoun (Just Detoun), Seun Kuti, CP Hakeem Odumosu and CSP Yinka Egbeyemi for a peace walk as part of his efforts to heal Lagos after last year’s #EndSARS protest.

The announcement followed the release of a white paper rejecting key recommendations of the Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS-Related Abuses and Other Matters.

Although most of the invitees rejected the invitation, Sanwo-Olu said several stakeholders within and outside the state, including students, showed interest.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Mr. Macaroni ‘Humbly’ Declines to Walk With Sanwo-Olu

The governor’s statement fully reads:

“Since my last address to you, the good people of Lagos State, on Tuesday 30, November 2021, during which I expressed a desire to lead a walk for peace, following the outcome of the work of the Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters, I have been inundated with deep expressions of solidarity from various groups and people declaring their readiness to join me on the symbolic walk. 

“Indeed, I owe a special debt of gratitude to our youths and students, who reached out to either members of my team or directly to me, expressing their readiness to join me on the planned walk for peace. They include many of our civil society leaders, business leaders within and outside of Lagos, religious leaders, members of the diplomatic community, entertainers, market associations, trade associations and women groups who have committed time and resources to preparing for the peace walk. I thank you all.

“When the unseen enemy called Covid-19 began to ravage the world and indeed our nation, I assumed the role of the incident commander in our quest to protect the lives of our people. We subjected ourselves to the dictates of science. We chose to be guided not by our emotions, but 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. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support the initiative received from far and near. The deluge of support is, however, indicative of one thing: our people know the strategic place of peace to our quest for development. 

 “I look forward to engaging with you as we together work for peace. ”