As the ongoing #endsars protest in Nigeria reaches its ninth day, Muslim youths present at the Lekki toll protest ground in Lagos observed the traditional Friday prayers. At about 1 pm local time, the call to prayer was made and a portion of the protest site was cornered off for Muslim faithful.
Water was made available for the Muslims to perform ablution while private security guards were on ground, making sure those praying were not disturbed.
While speaking exclusively to News Central, Dr. Muritala Oloke, the Director of Muslim Educational Health Foundation Lagos, broke down the sermon at the ongoing #endsars protest into three parts.
“The first aspect was addressing youth restiveness and the prevalence of immorality and all kinds of value reorientation that the youths of Nigeria need, in order to be on the right pedestal that can foster good governance.” He said.
He said the second aspect talked about Islam itself and the positions of Islam when it comes to the issues of protest. Dr. Oloke said in Islam, protests are actually allowed as far as they do not degenerate into violence. He added that even the early Muslim at some point had to protest in the face of oppression and tyranny in the society.
“The third aspect has to do with what we should now do as protesters, especially when the government has harkened to our call. What we should do is to respect the government, go back to our shell, cooperate with the government and ensure it does not degenerate into another thing.”
He concluded by saying all the gains of the protest should be channeled in a way that youth will see themselves as agents of positive change.
Not far from the Muslims, a group of Catholic worshipers could be seen on a procession, reciting decades of the rosary and interceding for the country.
While this was going on, normal protest activities continued simultaneously. The protesters could be seen and heard in their hundreds, cheering and chanting freedom songs.
But perhaps another topical issue still on the lips of many is the magnanimity of several groups and private individuals who have continuously been supplying free refreshment in terms of food and drink to protesters.
There also is the service of volunteers who have constantly taken it upon themselves to keep the protest ground clean.
While speaking to News Central, the owner of one of the privately owned garbage disposal units, who chose to remain anonymous, said the major reason behind clearing the trash at the ongoing #endsars protest is because “we still are in a pandemic and the protester will generate a lot of waste and we don’t want other health issues to arise at the same time”.
He said this was his own way of contributing to the protest.