In the next 5 years there would be no Nigeria, if… – Desmond Elliot
Good afternoon Honourable colleagues, Mr Speaker, the events of the last few weeks which commenced on the 7th of October, 2020 and reached its climax on the 20th of October, 2020 have bombarded me with a barrage of feelings. That of Joy, Sadness, Sorrow, Pain, Tears.
Apologies for coming late sir. I accompanied the Rt Hon Speaker, House of Reps to survey areas in Surulere that were bastardized, destroyed by people they call hooligans but because they live amongst us, I will call them our brothers.
Mr Speaker, I saw people crying. I saw people crying, people fainting, today. Three days after the destruction. Mothers who have worked hard, asking the speaker “how are we going to go again? How do we grow again? I ask us, where have we failed?
I commiserate with the lives of the people who have died this period. I sympathize with those who have lost businesses. I sympathize with Lagos state, at the deliberate attempt to cripple this state and to cripple our spirit. But as a people, we will not let that happen.
Mr Speaker, we need to address certain things. The Nigerian youth, the Social media, the Social influencers. All of these are making the narratives that we are seeing today. Except we are joking with ourselves.
Social media, yes, though good has its negative impact. Let me first thank you for condemning the wanton killings and carnage that happened at Lekki.
When I went through the comments, I could not believe it, Mr Speaker. The Curses. The abuses from Children. And I ask myself, is this Nigeria? What is going on? Children cursing? People having the effrontery to enter an Oba’s palace, hold the staff of office? Culture is gone.
Mr Speaker, in the next 5 years there would be no Nigeria, if we don’t start now. The youth is not only those who do the peaceful protests, those who have looted, who have destroyed lives, they are youths as well.
Mr Speaker, pregnant women went into malls, picked things and went away. When shall we change these narratives?
I put it to all the celebrities out there, all the motivational speakers, this is the only country we have. The wealthy will go. When anything happens, what is our common saying? We die here.
Please celebrities, please social media influencers, stop the hatred already. You have a means constitutionally to change Government, it is called your PVC. Go to the elections. If you are tired, come and enter Government.
People are dying. The narrative must change. Government, Mr Speaker, this is my prayer, from the National assembly, we must decentralize the federal government. Regions must start to operate. It is obvious states are on their own. Regions should start operating. The narrative should start here.
I so submit, sir.
Desmond Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency 1 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, delivered this address at the plenary on Monday October 26, 2020.
