Opinion: The Bullets Were Meant For Us Part 1 – Bashorun J.K. Randle

On Thursday 29th October 2020 “prominent citizens of Lagos State” assembled at Eko Club, Surulere, Lagos for what was described as a family meeting. It clashed with a public holiday [Eid El Malud]. Nevertheless, after seven hours of serious and frank deliberations, we adjourned proceedings on the understanding that the item on which we concluded matters was what we should have started with, namely:

WHICH IS THE WAY FORWARD?

Thereafter, there was no respite from several aggrieved Lagosians who complained vehemently that the event should have been massively advertised ahead of the meeting together with full media coverage (including ZOOM) while the epochal event was in session. Instead of a conclave, what the occasion merited was the “BIG TENT” to accommodate representatives of all the indigenes from “IBILE” (Ikeja; Badagry; Ikorodu; Lagos and Epe) divisions of Lagos State.

Furthermore, they insisted that the main item on the agenda should have been:

“How Do We Avoid/Forestall Another Lekki Toll Gate Disaster?”

Other views came through fast and furious, all night. However, what threw the spanner in the works was the pungent message delivered by some of the youths who had participated in the peaceful protests against “SARS” (Special Anti-Robbery Squad) all over Lagos under the aegis and banner of “#EndSARS.”

According to them, the message I should have relayed to the meeting was:

“Those Bullets Were Meant For Us”

“Us”, being those of us who as parents allowed matters to deteriorate in Lagos and then left it to the next generation to embark on the protests in order to restore sanity, law and (public) order. It was to no avail that I countered that no bullets were fired until hoodlums and miscreants hijacked what had hitherto been a very well managed and peaceful protest.

They were furious that the hoodlums and miscreants were deliberately imposed “by the usual suspects” to disrupt and destabilize the protests. That was where scepticism and cynicism took over. Who do you now believe?

Added to this was the indignant remonstration from the survivors of the shooting that the hoodlums and miscreants did not emerge from the sky. They had been lurking in the shadows for many years only to emerge with a vengeance in the last decade. It is to the credit of Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, the military governor of Lagos State (1996 to 1999) that before leaving office, he had arranged for the “drop outs” – gangsters, thugs and drug addicts to acquire basic skills – bakery; tailoring; block-making; carpentry, plumbing etc. so that they could earn a living. As for the motor park touts, Marwa ordered them off the streets where under the pretext of collecting union dues they were aggressively harassing those in the transport sector – from motorcyclists to “molue” (mini buses) and “keke marwa” (tricycles). They could only collect union dues in their offices within designated motor parks.

Once the politicians took over, power shifted to the unions and those who controlled them. They had power (votes) and money to boot. The genie was out of the bottle and they have remained totally above the law in their dodgy alliance with politicians and power brokers.

Also, there has been a deluge of demands for a post-mortem on COVID-19 and the lessons to be learnt from the first wave. Added to this is the critical issue of how well prepared are we in terms of healthcare infrastructure for the inevitable second wave?

For those who are relying on vaccines, here is a cautionary note from the editor-in-chief of the medical journal “The Lancet”:

“If we make a mistake and license a vaccine too early – just think – we have already got a growing anti-vaccine movement, which is extremely disturbing. We can’t cut corners. There will not be a vaccine available for public use by the end of October. President Trump is simply wrong about that,” Horton said, adding: “I have no understanding why he is saying it. Because his advisers will surely be telling him that that’s just impossible.”

There have also been calls for the inclusion of Climate Change and environmental pollution (degradation) on the agenda on account of Lagos being not only an oil producing state but also the epicentre of massive dredging of its foreshore aggressive and land reclamation.

As for the Judicial Panel of Enquiry that has been set up to investigate the Lekki Tollgate shooting, there have been strident insistence on conditions precedent – what has become of the reports of previous panels on a wide variety of subjects and grievances?

Something else that has emerged (and is deeply worrying) is the overarching and intimidating number of those trapped in the category of the “new” underprivileged. They actually constitute the underclass – a level below the poor. They are hungry, rootless, unemployed, homeless and hopeless. But nobody is counting.

As for the Lagosians in the diaspora, they have seized the opportunity on offer and the digital platform which is at their disposal to demand “big data” with regard to:

i.) How many indigenes of Lagos are employed by the State Government and what is their percentage of the total number of employees?

ii.) The same applies to the Federal Government and its agencies which are located in Lagos – Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Nigerian Ports Authority; Nigerian Airspace Management Authority [NAMA]; Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria [FAAN]; Nigerian Shippers Council; Nigerian Railway Corporation etc.

iii.) Furthermore, they want to know how many Lagosians are in the police, Army, Airforce, Navy, Security Agencies, Customs & Excise, Immigration
etc.

iv.) They also allege that the banks make between 60 and 70 per cent of their profits in Lagos but there are no statistics/data regarding the number of Lagos indigenes they employ – especially at managerial/executive/Director level.

What has been truly amazing is the speed and depth of the concern right across the globe, thanks to social media, regarding the tragic events which occurred at the Lekki Tollgate. Ironically, the footage which the authorities claim that they have just retrieved from hidden CCTV cameras was already trending only a matter of hours after the shooting!

There are also claims that it was livestreamed real time globally.

In any case, Nima Elbagir of CNN has delivered a severe body blow to all the false narratives.

As for the political and social scientists at eminent universities, they have come up with various theses and anti-theses. In their attempt to dissect and diagnose they have resorted to first principles, namely our nation is the victim of post traumatic stress disorder compounded with clinical depression. Hence, it is only within that framework that we can even begin to make sense of firing shots at unarmed peaceful protesters, most of whom are our brightest and bravest, fuelled with despair over their future which we have mortgaged without their consent.

Various eminent professors have waded in with their tentative conclusions anchored on a dossier which is redolent with manifest injustices over the last sixty years – going back to our Independence Day on 1st October 1960.

“Conflict over institutions and distribution of resources has been pervasive throughout history.”

Nigeria is not an exception.

Also, “Technological innovation makes human societies prosperous, but also involves the replacement of the old with the new, and the destruction of the economic privileges and political power of certain people.”

At the root of our problems is the rear-guard action of those whose power and might are under threat. When the lights were switched off at the tollgate, it was confirmation of confusion: was it an uprising, a rebellion or a revolution that was about to unfold?

The hoodlums, gangsters and bandits were deliberately injected (parachuted!!) into the conflict arena in order to create the fear of mob rule. They were not afraid of the consequences having been longstanding witnesses of the capitulation of the bastions of law and order – police, judges and lawyers to injustice when it suits their purpose.

Not long ago, a prominent judge took umbrage at the delaying tactics of a very senior lawyer over a corruption trial that had dragged on for eleven years while some key witnesses have died. In fury, he took a swing at the “OBJ’s” (Obstruction of Justice Lawyers) – lawyers who had mastered the craft of not the speedy conclusion of the trial and the delivery of justice, but elongated and eventual “inconclusive verdict”, long after everyone else would have forgotten what the case was all about.

We have been provided with a life boat in order to enable us to comprehend the true dimension of what has gripped Lagos and engulfed Nigeria.

Seren Kierkegaard (Denmark 1813 – 1855) has been widely acclaimed as the first existentialist philosopher who in the book: “The Sickness Unto Death” detailed (according to the blurb), how all human beings live with despair until they die, whether they know it or not.

The conflict between Lagosians and the rest of Nigeria remains unresolved: Should non-Lagosians adapt themselves to us or should we adapt ourselves to them (and just flow with the tide)? Even when the nation is sinking with violence, injustice, poverty, ignorance, corruption, intolerance, kidnapping, looting and bandits?

There is no guaranty of our survival. Indeed, we may be laughed off the stage if we leap into the inferno or arena to extol, advertise or proclaim our unique attributes and core values:

• Uprightness and trustworthiness

• Respect for our traditions and culture

• Reverence for elders

• Sanctity of the family name and reputation

• Tolerance of other people’s religion/faith

• Abhorrence of arrogance, greed, covetousness and malice

• Abundance of generosity of spirit

• Genuine sympathy and concern for the plight of the poor and underprivileged

• Goodwill to all; malice to none

It is not only the future of the young men and women who were protesting peacefully that is at stake. Everything is at stake. There is also an unresolved but profound incongruity – could our own generation of weaklings spawn the next generation who are evidently the strong, perhaps exceptional breed? Yet they may end up being shot if the powers that be conclude that it was not a peaceful protest but a failed coup d’état.

In the United States of America, indigenes of Lagos some years ago embarked on a sympathy march demanding to know how come Kano State has a population of over 13 million with 44 Local Government Councils while Lagos State with a population of over 20 million has only 20 Local Government Councils – which puts Lagos State at a huge disadvantage when revenue is being shared by the Federal Government to Local Government Councils.

Besides, they also want to know how come Lagos State which alone generates 55 per cent of Value Added Tax (VAT) receives only 1.39 per cent of VAT when it is time to share? How odd that even states which have banned the consumption of alcohol have no qualms about pocketing the proceeds of VAT charged on beer and other “haram” (forbidden) alcoholic drinks?

As if he has been mandated to frame the terms of reference for a Forensic Audit of Lagos State, the erudite Professor Adebayo Williams has provided us with a snapshot or bird’s eye view of the statis that has afflicted our beloved state:

“Next time around, the police having lost all illusions may be tempted to join the hoodlums in their looting and shooting frenzy. That will be real Armageddon.

We can only avoid this looming disaster if the rate of social absorption of the hoodlums through their economic rehabilitation outpaces their growth rate. For a society facing drastic economic decline, this is going to be a tall order.

It is either we are going to be dragged into modernity or we choose to remain in our current nether-zone until it gets to us. A modern mega-city without a metro system, adequate sanitation, dwelling quarters, civic centres, and a polite and people-friendly security service can only produce the type of dehumanized denizens that have been on the rampage in our cities in the past fortnight.”

The international response to the shooting of unarmed protesters at Lekki Tollgate Plaza has been swift and overwhelming.

i.) From the United States of America

The United States of America, through a statement made by the Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, expressed strong disapproval of the actions of the Nigerian government by declaring:

“The United States strongly condemns the use of excessive force by military forces who fired on unarmed demonstrators in Lagos, causing death and injury. We welcome an immediate investigation into any use of excessive force by members of the security forces. Those involved should be held to account in accordance with Nigerian law. The right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are essential human rights and core democratic principles. We call on the security services to show maximum restraint and respect fundamental rights and for demonstrators to remain peaceful. We extend our condolences to the victims of the violence and their families.”

The U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden called on the Nigerian government to cease the “violent crackdown on protesters”.

Added to this, Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on the President of Nigeria as well as the army to “stop killing young #EndSARS protesters”

ii.) From Britain UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab expressed deep concern and alarm at the reports of civilian deaths, calling for an end to the violence. In a statement made on Wednesday 21st October 2020, he said:

“I am deeply concerned by the violence in Nigeria, including widespread reports of civilian deaths. We call for an end to all violence.

The Nigerian government must urgently investigate reports of brutality by its security forces and hold those responsible to account.”

Stephen Doughty, a member of the UK Parliament made the following statement at Parliamentary deliberations a day after the Lekki Tollgate shooting:

“It is crucial given the horrific scenes we have seen overnight… I hope that the Minister can perhaps share with us the government’s responses to the shocking scenes.”

He was reportedly horrified with the reports he received from Nigeria and he later tweeted:

“I raised the shocking killings of the EndSARS protestors in Lekki toll gate, Lagos Nigeria this morning in the House of Commons with Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Minister Nigel Adams. I am horrified by the reports I am receiving.

UK Government must urgently raise at the highest levels with Nigeria.”

What is remarkable is that from China and Russia, mum is the word!! No comment whatever.

On CNN, His Royal Majesty, The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi (ex-St. Gregory’s College) disclosed that he was utterly shocked and perplexed by the madness that would compel security agents to shoot at protesters who were armed with only the Nigerian green-white-green national flag while singing the national anthem:

“Arise, O Compatriots

Nigeria’s call obey

To serve our fatherland

With love and strength and faith

The labour of our heroes’ past,

shall never be in vain

To serve with heart and might,

One Nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.”

According to Professor Michael Sandel the American philosopher and the Anne T. and Robert M. Professor of Government Theory at Harvard University Law School:

“These are dangerous times for democracy. We live in an age of winners and losers, where the odds are stacked in favour of the already fortunate. Stalled social mobility and entrenched inequality give the lie to the promise that “you can make it if you try.”

The crux of the matter is that ever since 1991 when General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida commenced the relocation of the Federal Capital from Lagos to Abuja, Lagos and Lagosians have found themselves in a most unexpected predicament. The assumption was that the pressure on Lagos would shift to Abuja. However, on the contrary, more and more people just keep flooding into Lagos. To further compound matters, the expectation that Lagos would be accorded a special status or allocated additional resources has remained a mirage/pipe dream. The Federal Government appears to have turned a deaf ear to all our pleas for a special intervention fund/compensation for Lagos.

In pursuing what rightly belongs to us, we have to be very careful. What we require are converts to our cause, not more adversaries. From the diaspora, especially the United States of America, we have been inundated with requests for data and statistics of how many indigenes of Lagos are employed by the banks; telecommunications companies; oil and gas companies; insurance companies; companies located within the Export Processing Zone in Lekki; shipping companies; airlines; hotels; etc. The same information is required of the State Government itself. Also, to be included are consultancies and contracts. Therefore, it behoves indigenes of Lagos to arm themselves with the right skills, experience and character to qualify to sit at the top table instead of lamenting about being marginalised or relegated to the second division. The list extends to law firms, accountancy firms, engineering companies, construction companies and the creative arts (films, music, theatre etc.).

Even in the midst of a war of survival especially when we are under threat of extinction, we must not only keep our eyes wide open, our ears must remain at high alert.

On resilience television, Yinka Odumakin sounded the alarm:

“What we saw during the #EndSARS was just a dress rehearsal of the main day if we fail to reset. The real hoodlums of this disorganised society who throw chairs and other dangerous weapons when they are fighting for the spoils of office now want the masses to behave like gentlemen when there is a festival of the oppressed.”

There can be no greater demonstration of oppression than the wanton destruction of public and private property. I witnessed it at first hand when the government seized my grandfather’s (Dr. J.K. Randle) property, “The Love Garden” at Onikan, Lagos and handed it over to the Musical Society of Nigeria [MUSON]. It did not stop there.

In response to my application for approval to build a befitting edifice to replace Chief J.K Randle Memorial Hall, also at Onikan, the response from government was to “weaponize oppression” by summoning the terrorist arm of the police – SARS to accompany its officials to demolish and bulldoze not only the Chief J.K. Randle Memorial Hall but also the adjacent Dr. J.K. Randle Swimming Pool on Saturday 24th September 2016. Within a matter of a few hours, our heritage had been turned into rubble in broad daylight. There was no prior notice or acquisition order in compliance with the Land Use Act.

We must give credit to our ancestors for tutoring us – to complain about being oppressed is the first sign of weakness. That is not in the DNA of Lagosians. We know how to deal with banditry and brigandage.

The front-page editorial of “The Nation” on November 1, 2020 must have been written by the usual suspect (Professor Adebayo Williams):

“The EndSARS protest against police brutality was just a pretext for more massive social upheavals, organised banditry which has devasted the north central states and an on-going sectarian insurrection which has lasted eleven years. Nigeria is bleeding on all fronts. The nation has been in traumatic transition since independence.

In a strange irony, the post-military epoch seems to have sharply accentuated the debacle. Nigeria suffered from a double jeopardy. Military rule brought neither accelerated development nor national cohesion while civil rule has failed to throw up an organic and nationalist political class capable of squarely addressing the grave national problems.

With its economy devastated by a crippling war bill, dwindling revenues due to a mono-cultural dependence on oil, open mismanagement of resources, graft and spell-binding corruption in all arms of government, Nigeria’s woes have been critically compounded by the post-COVID-19 realities.”

Abiodun Fijabi spoke the minds of most indigenes of Lagos when he delivered the war cry: “BEWARE THE POOR ARE COMING”

“They poor are coming with fury – to forcefully demand their slice of the national cake at every opportunity. The poor are not the #EndSARS protesters – those young and upward mobile Nigerians from cultured homes you applauded for their disciplined, peaceful and well-organized actions. The poor possess no such discipline, no finesse. They have neither the capacity to fundraise nor the skill to clarify and articulate their positions on issues. They hardly went to school. If they did, they bailed out before the teachers could pronounce their names. They are victims of a dysfunctional society. A society that flagrantly advances and celebrates the wealthy regardless of the sources of their riches. A society where the government and the rich neglect the poor, except when it comes to lattracting funds from donors, settling scores with real or perceived enemies, or rigging elections. The poor sleep where the night meets them – under the bridges, in broken down vehicles or abandoned or uncompleted buildings. They left home early, having been neglected by mom and dad, who were too busy hustling to make ends meet. They are usually part of a large family. Sadly, the poor procreate like rabbits, as if children were some divine respite from their deprivations.

Poverty has no gender, no political affiliation, no religion and no tribe. It answers only to the calls of hunger and deprivations. That explained why the poor among us latched onto the recent peaceful #EndSARS protests to lay claim to the commonwealth they have been deprived from. They looted warehouses, offices and homes, burnt down national and state edifices, and desecrated traditional heritage.

While we are aghast by the recent dastardly acts of the poor, it might be necessary for us to rethink our disdain for and the neglect of the poor. To be sure, the poor are Nigerians and God’s own children like the rest of us. They carry divine destinies. They have been known to turn the corner when we had given them the opportunities to do so. Ironically, some of us came out of their rank but soon abandoned our former constituency as a way of reinforcing our newfound status. We forget that “Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full.” [Proverbs 19:17 MSG]. I dare to suggest that the converse is also true. “Neglect of the poor is a loan to the devil, and the devil pays back those loans in full.” It is a truism that an idle hand is a devil’s workshop. Truth be told, the destinies of the rich and the poor are intertwined. In the words of St. John Chrysostom, “The rich exist for the sake of the poor. The poor exist for the salvation of the rich.”

Beware: The poor are coming! The poor we refuse to take care of today will one day inflict on us untold pain and suffering. And, if by any stroke of luck, we escape their anger, our children and grandchildren may not live to tell their stories.”

These are the circumstances in which Lagosians have found themselves and in the midst of poverty and political chaos we should be forgiven for availing ourselves of the same desperate plea delivered by George Floyd: “We Can’t Breathe”.

What happened on Tuesday 20th October, 2020 at Lekki Tollgate was unprecedented in the history of Lagos and indeed that of Nigeria. Young men and women who had been protesting peacefully against, the impunity of SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad) which had somehow deteriorated into the terrorist/Boko Haram wing of the police, decided to extend their demand to include “good governance”, justice and accountability.

Before the day was over, monumental tragedy had supplanted drama and upended reality. From nowhere, obviously sponsored hoodlums emerged in large numbers and proceeded to hijack the protest. Then came the announcement by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu that he had imposed a curfew which would commence at 4pm. Later the time was shifted to 9pm. In the meantime, all hell was let loose when the lights were switched off and soldiers turned up. They converted the tollgate into a combination of shooting range, crime scene/putative coup attempt or rehearsal for regime change.

Thereafter, matters got completely out of control. The mourners and victims are still auditing the figures – the dead, maimed, traumatised and shocked. Rage has been further compounded by outrage.

Separately, we shall deal with the rampage that ensued as well as the looting and destruction of both private and public property.

The setting ablaze of police stations and the invasion of warehouses where COVID-19 palliatives had been stored as “booty and slush” material for sharing not on the basis of need or urgency but rather at the time and convenience of the hoarders have dominated print, electronic and social media. What remains a matter of profound concern is the invasion of Iga Idunganran, the abode of His Majesty, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos and the desecration of the throne as well as the theft of the staff of office, the venerated symbol of authority.

Our ancestors never faltered in according our Royal Fathers respect and adoration in accordance with the dictates of our tradition and culture.

We are yet to entirely comprehend the witness statements filed by those who were nearly trapped by the inferno that engulfed the Lagos High Court which is located next to King’s College. What is truly shocking is the speculation over the choice and targeting of the iconic landmark (built in 1923) by the arsonists who literally razed everything to the ground. When social media went on fire with reports that the arsonists had extended their rage to King’s College, it was the old boys of St. Gregory’s College who were the first to offer their sympathy. However, there is a catch (or lacuna). How come the old boys of St. Gregory’s College issued both a denial (that they had no hand in the fire) and their condolence BEFORE the fire outbreak?

Shoprite was massively vandalised. So also, were the premises of TVC (television) and “The Nation” newspaper.

Perhaps, we should confine ourselves to Lagos. However, what transpired in Kano is most disturbing as the mob attack was infested with ethnic dimensions with echoes of what led us down the path that eventually resulted in civil war (1967 to 1970).

Let us focus on Lagos and remind ourselves that distinct from the American dream or vision, Eko (Lagos) from ancient times (after all United States of America is only two hundred and forty-four years old) had pre-empted the U.S. and advertised itself as:

“The land of the free; and the home of the brave.”

Hence, Lagosians were supremely and divinely endowed with self-confidence (but not arrogance or conceit) and compassion which endeared us to all and sundry. We extended love, brotherhood (and sisterhood) to those from other ethnic groups. Our reward was respect and reverence. That was then. Now, it is hostility bordering on contempt combined with resentment.

Before we move on. We need to remind the next generation that our generation has profoundly repudiated the indulgent song of the lazy and idle:

“Ibi ti alagbara gben sise, ole asima rise” which translates as: “While the strong and resourceful may be hardworking, it is the idle and lazy who would reap the benefits.” No way. You can forget that nonsense. Our youths urgently require re-orientation and this is our last chance to instil in them that they cannot rely on the achievements of their parents. Neither can we as parents rest on our oars in the false belief that the achievements of our illustrious ancestors are sufficient to guarantee our survival and prosperity in the new dispensation where competition is fierce and ruthless.

In our capacity as elders, we have a sacred responsibility – to be the conduit whereby we are able to accurately feel the pulse of the indigenes of Lagos and convey their grievances to the government. Unlike pollsters, we have no room for margin of error.

Besides, we need to re-establish our identity and advertise what we stand for. We are not hustlers. Let me share with you what I had previously recorded in one of my books. It concerns one of our highly respected elders, Alhaji Musliu O. Anibaba, FCA and past president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria [ICAN]. When he returned from U.K. in 1963 where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant, he joined the firm of Hamood Banner & Co., Chartered Accountants with offices at “Ebani House” (owned by John Holt), Broad Street, Lagos. The firm also provided him with accommodation – a flat in very exclusive Ikoyi, which was then mostly occupied by expatriates.

As his office was only a short distance from his family house, “Cameron” (that was the name Alhaji Anibaba used to bear) would walk through the narrow streets that led to his mother’s house during his lunch break and walk back again to his office.

Most times, the elders would interrupt their game of draughts to acknowledge the greetings of young Cameron. They were so proud of the young newly arrived Chartered Accountant.

Unfortunately, on one occasion Cameron was so pre-occupied that he walked past the elders without paying them homage or extending any greetings. That was considered very rude and despicable.

On his way back, when he greeted them they ignored him. This was the cold shoulder they accorded him for several days until he reported the matter to his mother. She immediately insisted on accompanying him to apologise to the elders and mend fences.

They did not mince words. In typical Lagos fashion, they scolded him. “Cameron, it is not you (on your own merit) that we have been admiring and showing great affection. Rather, it is to reciprocate the love, goodwill and respect your mother Saratu has extended to all of us over the years. That is why we pray for your success and thank the Almighty for the abundant blessings he has bestowed on you. We are not expecting any charity from you.

Have you seen anyone of us on your doorstep at Ikoyi? The good Lord has provided us with the resources to cater for our needs and the steady supply of our Guinness.”

It was a much-chastened Cameron who apologised profusely. He is still alive.

Indeed, one of his children, Taslim is here with us.

From the same Anibaba family we have the case of Farida who lived on Tokunbo Street, Lagos. At the age of sixteen as a student of Methodist Girls’ High School, she scored distinctions in all her nine subjects in the 1953 Cambridge School Certificate Examination. She became an instant sensation, a moslem girl flourishing in a Christian school. Virtually the whole of Lagos trooped to her house (I think she was living with her cousins (Oyekan) at the time) to congratulate her and felicitate with her parents. Some mothers dragged their daughters along with them so that they could witness Lagos at its best. That was what Lagos was like then – each person’s success was everyone’s joy.

Thankfully, she is still alive and well having retired as a Professor. Mrs. Farida Salako (her married name) is the sister of Alhaji M.O. Anibaba.

Going back to 1948, Lagosians displayed the same quality if genuine delight and shared success when the BBC announced on radio that the son of the Registrar of the Lagos High Court, Mr. Norman Williams had qualified as a doctor – Dr. Charles Modupe Norman-Williams. Lagosians went wild with joy. Without consulting with the colonial authorities, they declared a public day and trooped to the residence of the father of the brand-new doctor to rejoice with him and his wife – in celebration of the wonderful achievement of their son.

Considering the unfolding scenario, this is the appropriate time to exhort all indigenes of Lagos to ensure that they obtain their National (and state) Identity cards as well as their voter’s cards. We must ensure that we register for the next round of elections – Local Government Council; State and Federal/Presidential.

By nature, Lagosians are law abiding and peace-loving. Hence, it was an aberration when in its overzealousness to collect tax, it was the government and its tax officials that went around sealing business and private premises. They were accompanied by fierce looking armed police (presumably from the notorious SARS) on their mission of intimidation and coercion.

I recall that while KPMG (during my tenure as the Chairman and Chief Executive) were the auditors of Nigerian Breweries Plc located at Iganmu which is only a short distance from where we are meeting today, the Task Force of Lagos State Inland Revenue Service turned up at the brewery and ordered everyone out of the premises. They were accompanied by policemen who were fully armed and combat ready. The Managing Director of the Company called me on the phone and requested me to intervene as the company had not been served with any prior notice. It was to no avail that I pleaded with the Governor that as a reputable company, Nigerian Breweries would settle all outstanding taxes once they were verified. The government insisted on collecting its pound of flesh.

What was unfortunate was that the invasion coincided with the period when the company was about to select the site for its new brewery. Instead of Lagos, the project ended up being located in Aba, (Abia State) which co-incidentally was the state of origin of the Managing Director. Clearly, Lagos State government shot itself in the foot and paid a heavy penalty – loss of employment opportunities and future generation of tax as well as other revenues.

We are left to ponder whether there is a nexus between the lack of employment opportunities and the rage of the hoodlums who set fire to as many as one hundred and fifty brand new buses in the aftermath of the Lekki Tollgate shooting. The police are still counting their losses. So far, they have lost at least 12 lives while over 17 police stations were razed to the ground in Lagos alone. The hoodlums broke into the armoury and carted off substantial quantities of arms as well as ammunition.

What has sent off viral shockwaves of astonishment and disbelief is the chilling video of two policemen who were killed by the mob during the #EndSARS riot in Ibadan. They appear to have been roasted and feasted upon by cannibals disguised as human beings. Before matters deteriorate to that extent, we should include war against drugs (opioids), cultism and ritual murder as an item to be tackled by one of our committees.

Also, we need a committee to tackle mass literacy. It is an abomination to be an indigene of Lagos, yet remain an illiterate who can neither read nor write.

Permit me to add that it was my grandfather, Dr. J.K. Randle who as far back as 1908 founded Nigeria’s first political party – The People’s Union.

I commend Eko Club for recognising the achievements of our ancestors in its Hall of Fame. I hope that this year, special awards will be given to Lagosians (both men and women) who have distinguished themselves in business, education, philanthropy, medicine, engineering, law, accountancy, journalism, farming, sports and other areas of human endeavour.

We really need to come together as a family. The family forum which we are planning is a recognition of the fact that most Lagosians are related by blood, marriage and sometimes friendship!!

Already, we have been alerted that COVID-19 may resurface as a second wave. Also, we have not heard the last of the peaceful protest. The protesters may return to the streets, toll gates and barricades.

What portends grave danger is that in order not to appear weak, the government may resort to treating the protesters as the sponsors of a failed coup d’état. Thereafter, matters could rapidly escalate or deteriorate into utter chaos.

The old boys of King’s College who are amongst us may remember that in 1944 when King’s College students protested against the colonial government, the Governor and the British government were so enraged that they rounded up the ring leaders – Yonda Dakolo; Victor Ologundu; Prince Aderemi etc. and conscripted them into the army. They were immediately despatched to fight in the Second World War, in Burma.

As for the J.K. Randle family, we are in the midst of our battle with Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) over the land known as “Nigerian Ports Authority Sports Ground” which is adjacent to Eko Club, Bode Thomas Street, Surulere. It was my father, Chief J.K. Randle and his brother Chief Romanus Adewale Randle who leased the land to Nigerian Ports Authority in 1955 for fifty years. However, the government appears to have connived with Nigerian Ports Authority to transfer the land to NPA. We have been wrestling with the anomaly and absurdity of a tenant who is now claiming to be the legitimate owner of a property that it has acquired through somewhat dubious means. The matter has been in court for several decades.

Incidentally, Chief J.K. Randle bequeathed N100, 000,000 (one hundred million naira) to the following schools (two Christian and two moslem):

i.) C.M.S Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos
ii.) Holy Cross School, Lagos
iii.) Ahmadiyya College, Agege, Lagos
iv.) Ansar-Ud-Deen College, Isolo, Lagos

through the aegis of the Ministry of Justice/Office of the Administrator-General of Lagos State. What is yet to be unravelled is how much of the money reached the beneficiaries and whether the funds were “wholly, necessarily and exclusively” utilised for the purposes (education and sports) specified by the benefactor.

These are indeed turbulent times as we struggle to cope with what an eminent psychologist described as PTSD (Post Traumatic SARS Disorder)!!

Because we are a collective of family and friends, the bond between us (and among us) should reinforce our tenacity of purpose and humility.

John Ruskin (1819 – 1900) has reminded us:

“I believe the first test of a truly great man is humility.”

Whatever, we are planning to accomplish, we cannot ignore the strictures and bidding of our ancestors who were clearly much wiser:

“E lati duro de de”

It translates as: “You (we) must be beyond reproach.”

If we ignore them, it is at our own peril.

If we genuinely believe that we are on a rescue mission, we would only be following the footsteps of our forefathers. In the case of my grandfather, Dr. J.K. Randle when as a medical practitioner, he pleaded with the colonial government to provide water toilets for the indigenes of Lagos, he was soundly rebuffed with the lame excuse that there was no money. With his own money, he proceeded to build water toilets along with refuse disposal incinerators in 1920 all over Lagos. Some of them can still be found at the Marina; Ajele Street; Igbosere Street (behind King’s College); Ita Faji market; Iddo Motor Park; Olusi Street/Tokunbo Street and Ebute Ero. Sadly, they have been hijacked by politicians who have converted facilities that were meant to be free into money making ventures.

The spur for our engagement today is the shooting of unarmed protesters on 20th October 2020 and the horrific fallout as well as savage consequences. We are entitled to believe that it was the police who should have been summoned first before soldiers descended on Lekki Tollgate. Perhaps it is an oversimplification to insist that police are trained to protect while soldiers are expected to kill only our foes and enemies.

Anyway, we got our lines crossed and ended up with utter confusion when the lights were switched off leaving us no other option than to grope in the dark while gunshots rented the air.

According to W.B. Yeats (1865 to 1939):

“The Second Coming”

“Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;

Surely the Second Coming is at hand.”

The police are in pains too – as both victims and offenders. For years they have been complaining to deaf ears – less than 20 per cent of the budget approved for them annually eventually reaches Force Headquarters not to talk of the zonal commands, police colleges; the Divisional Police officers, police stations etc.

We should be grateful to the late United States Senator John McCain (1936 – 2018) for reminding us that:

“There is nothing more elevating than fighting for a cause larger than yourself.”

and Vince Lombardi (1913 to 1970)

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfilment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.”

To crown them all, Elie Wiesel (1928 to 2016) has added the homily:

“Just as despair can come to one only from other human beings, hope, too can be given to one only by other human beings.”

Whatever happens and regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves we must always acknowledge the benevolence of the Almighty. When, Major-General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the Chief of Army Staff toppled General Muhammadu Buhari on 27th August 1985 in a bloodless coup d’état, not many people knew how fortunate I was that it was not a failed coup attempt. What preceded the epochal event was that Major-General Olaseinde

Ishola-Williams who was then Director of TRADOC (Training and Doctrine Command) of the Nigerian Army had been instructed by Major-General Babangida to invite me to deliver a lecture to army senior officers at their conference in Minna, Niger State. I had just arrived in London en route New York when Olaseinde got through to me by phone. He would not accept no for an answer. Both pf us had attended Lagos Government School and King’s College. He was a year behind me. I had no choice but to oblige him. I caught the next available flight back to Lagos. I was immediately transferred to a plane that took me to Minna.

I duly delivered my paper on what economic value the military could contribute to the prosperity of Nigeria. There were two other speakers – Chief M.K.O. Abiola, FCA and Professor Jonah Elaigwu who was a lecturer at the Defence Academy in Kaduna.

A few days later, it was martial music that was playing in the morning on Radio Nigeria (and the other radio stations) followed by the usual signature message delivered by Brigadier Joshua Dongoyaro:

“I, Brigadier Joshua Nimyel Dogonyaro, of the Nigerian Army, hereby make the following declaration on behalf of my colleagues and members of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Fellow countrymen, the intervention of the military at the end of 1983 was welcomed by the nation with unprecedented enthusiasm. Nigerians were unified in accepting the intervention and looked forward hopefully to progressive changes for the better. Almost two years later, it has become clear that the fulfilment of expectations is not forthcoming.

Because this generation of Nigerians and indeed future generations have no other country but Nigeria, we could not stay passive and watch a small group of individuals misuse power to the detriment of our national aspirations and interest.

No nation can ever achieve meaningful strides in its development where there is an absence of cohesion in the hierarchy of government; where it has become clear that positive action by the policy makers is hindered because as a body it lacks a unity of purpose.

It is evident that the nation would be endangered with the risk of continuous misdirection. We are presently confronted with that danger. *In such a situation, if action can be taken to arrest further damage, it should and must be taken. This is precisely what we have done.

The Nigerian public has been made to believe that the slow pace of action of the Federal Government headed by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari was due to the enormity of the problems left by the last civilian administration.

Although it is true that a lot of problems were left behind by the last civilian government, the real reason, however, for the very slow pace of action is due to lack of unanimity of purpose among the ruling body; subsequently, the business of governance has gradually been subjected to ill-motivated power play considerations. The ruling body, the Supreme Military Council, has, therefore, progressively been made redundant by the actions of a select few members charged with the day-to-day implementation of the SMC’s policies and decision.

The concept of collective leadership has been substituted by stubborn and ill-advised unilateral actions, thereby destroying the principles upon which the government came to power. Any effort made to advise the leadership, met with stubborn resistance and was viewed as a challenge to authority or disloyalty.

Thus, the scene was being set for systematic elimination of what, was termed oppositions. All the energies of the rulership were directed at this imaginary opposition rather than to effective leadership.

The result of this misdirected effort is now very evident in the country as a whole. The government has started to drift. The economy does not seem to be getting any better as we witness daily increased inflation.

The nation’s meagre resources are once again being wasted on unproductive ventures. Government has distanced itself from the people and the yearnings and aspirations of the people as constantly reflected in the media have been ignored.

This is because a few people have arrogated to themselves the right to make the decisions for the larger part of the ruling body. All these events have shown that the present composition of our country’s leadership cannot, therefore, justify its continued occupation of that position.

Furthermore, the initial objectives and programmes of action which were meant to have been implemented since the ascension to power of the Buhari Administration in January 1984 have been betrayed and discarded. The present state of uncertainty and stagnation cannot be permitted to degenerate into suppression and retrogression.

We feel duty bound to use the resources and means at our disposal to restore hope in the minds of Nigerians and renew aspirations for a better future. We are no prophets of doom for our beloved country, Nigeria. We, therefore, count on everyone’s cooperation and assistance.

I appeal to you, fellow countrymen, particularly my colleagues in arms to refrain from any act that will lead to unnecessary violence and bloodshed among us. Rest assured that our action is in the interest of the nation and the armed forces.

In order to enable a new order to be introduced, the following bodies are dissolved forthwith pending further announcements: (a) The Supreme Military Council (b) The Federal Executive Council (c) The National Council of States. All seaports and airports are closed, all borders remain closed.

Finally, a dusk to dawn curfew is hereby imposed in Lagos and all state capitals until further notice. All military commanders will ensure effective maintenance of law and order. Further announcements will be made in due course. God bless Nigeria.”

This was followed later by a broadcast by Brigadier Sani Abacha, the General Officer Commanding [GOC] of the Second Division, Nigerian Army, with its headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State as confirmation that it was a successful coup d’état.

Before the day was over, NTA (Nigerian Television Authority) showed jubilant army officers who had assembled at Bonny Camp Cantonment, Victoria Island to welcome the new Head of State – Major-General Babangida. All those faces who were at the Minna conference were in the forefront. The roll call had not only Colonel Joshua Dongoyaro; Brigadier Sani Abacha; Colonel Aliyu Mohammed Gusau; Lt. Col. Halilu Akilu; Lt. Col. Tanko Ayuba; Lt. Col. David Mark; Lt. Colonel John Shagaya; Colonel Anthony Ukpo; Lt. Colonel Raji Rasaki; Major Abdulmumini Aminu; Major John Madaki; Major Mohammed Sambo Dasuki etc.

It was then that the penny dropped!! The conference was only a camouflage for finalising the coup d’état. Those of us who were invited as speakers were mere decoys. Perhaps, Chief M.K.O. Abiola was in the know. As for me, I knew absolutely nothing. I did not even suspect a thing while we were all at the Shiroro Hotel while our host, Governor Colonel David Mark was the perfect host.

What is relevant is that had the coup failed, all of us would have been rounded up and executed, probably without trial. The question on everybody’s lips would have been: What was a Lagosian (and partner in KPMG) doing amongst coup plotters?

Sir Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Britain (1940 to 1945 & 1951 to 1955) addressed Military intervention in his epic 1937 address titled, “Armistice Or Peace,” from his own unique perspective and incisiveness:

“Grim war-gods from remote ages have stalked upon the scene. International good faith; the public law of Europe; the greatest good of the greatest number; the ideal of a fertile, tolerant, progressive, demilitarized, infinitely varied society, is shattered. Dictators ride to and fro upon tigers from which they dare not dismount. And the tigers are getting hungry.”

I shall now invite Dr. Patrick Dele-Cole, scholar, diplomat, former editor of “The Daily Times” newspaper, former Special Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo, author and historian to provide a first-hand account of an epochal event which occurred at the tail end of the regime of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

What had happened was that when General Babangida (IBB) announced that he intended to hand over power to civilians, he set up two political parties – NRC (Nigerian Republican Convention) which was “a little to the right” and SDP (Social Democratic Party) which was “a little to the left”. The government funded the construction of their party secretariats all over the country.

According to social media, that was how one of the current governors, a quantity surveyor got his big break – constructing offices for political parties in all the thirty-two states which were in existence at that time.

Anyway, it turned out that IBB may have had a change of mind. He apparently had a joker up his sleeve. He was not yet ready to go!!

In the unfolding scenario, late Major-General Shehu Yar’Adua had emerged as the potential successor having successfully obtained not only the backing of the Hausa/Fulani (his kinsmen) but also that of the South-West through Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, the strong man of Ibadan politics. Incidentally, former President, General Olusegun Obasanjo recently confirmed that he was instrumental in persuading Alhaji Adedibu to support Major-General Yar’Adua who had served under him as his number two (Chief of General staff) instead of another formidable candidate, the cerebral Chief Olu Falae who had also served under him as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance.

Suddenly, it was announced by IBB that all the leading twenty-three candidates had been disqualified. In the uproar and confusion that ensued, IBB was conferred with the title of “Maradona” (master dribbler) of Nigerian politics as a back-handed compliment or vilification. It had to do with the Argentinian footballer Diego Maradona who bluntly refused to offer any apologies for resorting to his hand (foul play) to score against England in the 1986 World Cup.

However, IBB in order to placate the politicians offered them a truce. If they could agree amongst themselves who should succeed him, he was ready to hand over. A meeting was duly convened by IBBs confidant, late Senator Mahmud Waziri at his flat at Roman Gardens (owned by late Chief (Dr.) Mrs. Abimbola Awoliyi), Victoria Island, Lagos. Ambassador (Dr.) Patrick Dele-Cole and I were the joint umpires/referees (or returning officers) while the polling was being conducted.

All the big names had assembled – late Senator (Dr.) Olusola Saraki; late Major-General Shehu Yar’Adua; Alhaji Lateef Jakande; Chief Olu Falae; Chief Jim Nwobodo; late Chief Solomon Lar; late Professor Ambrose Alli; late Chief Isaac Shahu; Chief Cornelius Adebayo etc. I need to double-check the roll call with Ambassador (Dr.) Patrick Dele-Cole.

Anyway, these distinguished politicians commenced what they called “tactical voting”. It ended up in a fiasco. They could not agree on a consensus candidate. When the outcome was relayed to General Babangida, he was furious. In anger he instructed that since the politicians could not agree among themselves, either Ambassador (Dr.) Patrick Dele-Cole or my humble self should be declared as his successor!!

Both of us declined. I cannot speak for Ambassador Dele-Cole but my own decision was based on principle. There has to be a limit to opportunism. Let history be the judge.

Bashorun J.K. Randle is a former President of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and former Chairman of KPMG Nigeria and Africa Region.

He is currently the Chairman, J.K. Randle Professional Services

email – [email protected]