OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE, HE MR BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU

Dear Sir,

In the past two weeks, you have written several letters to the people of Lagos through various platforms. I am a troubled Nigerian who lives in Lagos, and I have had it in mind to write to you for some time now. What better time to do it than in reply to your several missives these past days?

Have you heard of the story of the emperor's new clothes, Sir? I grew up reading folktales written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, and one of my favourite stories is "The Emperor's New Clothes." Since 2020, I have thought of you whenever I think of this beautiful story. Let me summarize it for you, Sir, in case you haven't read it yet. 

It is about an emperor of a city who cared so much about how well-dressed he was. He invested so much in his outfits. Two men, claiming to be weavers of the finest, most luxurious clothes, came to the emperor's town. They had a caveat: their clothes were invisible to anyone unfit for their position and to simpletons. Our emperor commissioned them to make something for him. He gave them plenty of money, the most delicate silk, and thread made out of pure gold; in turn,  these men worked day and night at their loom. But there was one slight problem. The loom looked empty. Neither the emperor nor anyone else who worked for him could see the cloth, but they all pretended to see it. They didn't want anyone to know they were unfit for their positions. Finally, the emperor's new clothes were ready. The weavers dressed him up, and he went on a procession to show off his new clothes. His ministers and courtiers all gave glowing compliments about the clothes and went on this procession with him. The town came out, too, to admire the clothes. No one wanted to be thought unfit or a simpleton. Until a little child spoke up. "The emperor has no clothes on," the child exclaimed. The crowd realized that the child was correct. Their emperor was naked! Had they all been fooled? The trickster weavers were long gone from the city with their bounty. The undignified emperor took a walk of shame back to his palace.

Sir, I am but a child, saying things the way I see them. I fear you have surrounded yourself with trickster weavers and with cowardly and greedy ministers and courtiers. You need to listen to the children speak the truth to you. You have done some things well, and I must commend you. But on some critical issues, you have made us weep. It started with the Okada ban in 2020, which left many of us stranded – commuters, okada riders and the ride-hailing apps companies that had begun sanitizing the okada space. This ban was on the heels of the NURTW harassing them for levies and the issue of 25 million naira annual license fees per 1000 bikes for the bike-hailing companies.

While Lagosians were dealing with that, Tarkwa Bay residents were evicted from their homes. Some of the Tarkwa Bay residents were okada riders who lost their livelihoods and homes simultaneously. The military claimed it was because of pipeline vandalism. Instead of identifying and arresting culprits, they violently evicted an entire community. Like your predecessors before you, you supported their eviction. You called them illegal occupants, not minding that affordable housing is nonexistent in Lagos. Not caring that those with access to power have exploited the recent government affordable housing schemes.

And then, you announced that unfortunate curfew on October 20, 2020. But before that, like your colleagues in other states, you did nothing about the sponsored violence inflicted on non-violent protesters. Not precisely nothing, though. You showed up at the protests and promised to present our requests to the President and the Inspector General of Police. You also travelled to Abuja and took a picture with the President, where you submitted a report to him. Unfortunately, your words were insufficient, and your later actions did not match those words. There was the unfortunate curfew, which was likely suggested to you by trickster weavers and supported by a cowardly team. Then the postponement was nullified by the army's invasion an hour before it was supposed to start.

In a conversation with Sheriff Quadry of Nigeria Info FM Lagos, you minimized the events of that day, though. You said we "need to snap out of it and let's build back better." And then you went on to say that the lessons learned from that incident have made us more resilient citizens and that you are building the city back. How can we build in denial? Where do we put the injustice while we "snap out"? What are we building when we have not seen justice? Who has been punished for the violence inflicted and citizens killed during the protests and on that unfortunate night? What are we building when the harassment that ignited the EndSARS protests has not stopped?

When insecurity worsened in Lagos and people were getting robbed in traffic, you told us to roll up our windows and stay safe. Just like that? The police were understaffed and underequipped to help with security, yet, every time there was going to be a peaceful protest at the toll gate, the police showed up in all their glory. When we called out the insensitive advice, you and your team fortuitously caught and arrested a gang of traffic robbers. Somehow, your media team were ready to take pictures. Your media appearances give the impression that you are more concerned about optics than concrete development, like with the robbers and the young girls fetching water. 

We have the matter of building collapses that have killed almost a hundred people in Lagos, and we are yet to see justice. On the falling containers that kill people, instead of mandating the enforcement of safety measures, erecting a barrier to prevent trucks from using the bridges, and assuring the people of Lagos of justice, you settled for empty rhetoric again, asking the containers to stop falling off the bridge.

Your supporter and appointee, Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo), continues to deride us, and you have not denounced him. Your aide, Jubril Gawat (Mr JAGS), too. Yet he remains on your team. Sir, shey you dey whine us ni? You talked about empathy and compassion. Have you shown empathy and compassion to the people of Lagos? You said that the essential qualities we need in a leader for Lagos are capacity, competence, and character. In light of the matters I have raised, have you shown capacity, competence and character? Is your track record admirable? Do you know that Sadaam Hussein, who ordered the executions of his sons-in-law, would visit random families and fill their empty fridges with food? Good actions don't cancel out horrible ones. It doesn't work like that. You said we should participate in the electoral process without emotions, but that is impossible. Our emotions are part of our decision-making process. We need to conjure up all the emotions we have felt since you became our Governor in our assessment of you and our decision on who deserves our vote. 

As part of your qualifications, you listed your experience as a treasurer in three banks and as an investment banker. You also cited your experience as commissioner and adviser to a sitting governor. They do not bring any comfort, though. In Nigeria, those positions are more renowned for greed, selfishness, and nepotism than anything else. Leadership does not depend on age or experience. Look at Nigeria and see where "age" and "experience" have brought us. We may be better off taking our chances with someone who will learn to cut down trees by cutting them down. After all, as the saying goes, little by little, the bananas grow. Another saying goes, "If a blind man says he will throw a stone at you, he probably has his food on one."

I have often been accused of not reading the room, of believing in the best of deceptive people. I would rather err on the side of caution, though. I would instead think that you are a decent man who lacks the courage to do what is right than believe that you are wicked. When a king has good counsel, his reign is peaceful. You say that you are for peace. I want to trust you, but your team has been igniting ethnic conflict, forgetting that a canoe does not know who the leader is; when it turns over, everyone gets wet. Caution your supporters to top stoking the fires of trouble. Why do they want Lagos State to burn?

Let me remind you of two popular stories, Sir. One of them is from the Bible. You profess to be a Christian, so I'm sure this one will be familiar. It is about King Solomon and two women who had two babies. One of the babies was dead, and the other was alive. Both claimed that the living child was their own and the other woman was lying. King Solomon then suggested they cut the live baby in two, and each woman takes one-half of the baby. One of the women accepted King Solomon's proposal. The other woman said, "Please give her the baby. Don't kill him." That's how King Solomon discerned the true mother from the fraud. If you love Lagos, do not let it burn because of your ambition.

The other story is from The Caucasian Chalk Circle, a play by Bertolt Brecht. There is so much to talk about in this story. There is Governor Georgi Abashwili and his wife, Natella, who ignore the citizens. It doesn't end well for him. But the part of the story that intrigues me the most is the battle for the Governor's beloved son, Michael. When the day of reckoning comes for the Governor and his wife, the Governor dies. His wife, Natella, runs for safety and leaves her son behind. The nanny, Grusha, rescues the son and escapes with him. She tends to him at a high cost. When things settle, the Governor's wife wants Michael back. He is her claim to the Governor's estate. She drags Grusha to court. The wise judge draws a circle of chalk and places Michael in the circle's centre. He asks both women to pull the child. The one who successfully pulls the child from the centre to her side gets the child. If both of them draw, they will tear the child, and each gets half of him. Guess who is ready to pull. If you guessed the Governor's wife, you are correct. Natella is willing to pull the child, but Grusha refuses. She doesn't want to hurt Michael. That's how the judge declares that Grusha is the child's true mother. 

Your actions will reveal who you are, Sir. Your actions will tell us whether you genuinely love Lagos or are just after the spoils of your position. Show that you do not support the desecration and implosion of Lagos by separating yourself from those spreading hate and threatening violence. Denounce campaign ads like the one that says, "Our hospitality in Lagos should never make us lose our land." Who are you losing the land to? Iru oro wo ni yen? What kind of word is that? Fire those who should be fired. Call for the arrest of the ones who should be arrested. Caution the "oro" cult ritualists to respect the election and suspend their plans for the election day.  Also, note that the snake we see cannot bite us anymore.

I do not know what tomorrow will bring. The outcome may be that you remain our Governor for another four years. It is not a do-or-die affair, sir. If the majority choose you as Governor for another four years, please see it as an opportunity for a make-over. Be compassionate and courageous in your leadership, choose a better team of aides and advisers, end the rule of agbero, and make Lagos State work for our good. If, however, the majority decides it is time for Gbadebo Patrick Rhodes-Vivour, please, do not seize power. Let the will of the people prevail. Use your remaining days in the office to make yourself memorable for good. It is better to be happy than to be a king or Governor.

 

Sincerely,

Efadel