Seun Kuti to FG: #EndSARS protests more than police reform, listen to the people

Seun Kuti has advised the federal government to see the EndSARS protest as a chance to build a bridge to the people.

Kuti spoke on Channels TV’s ‘Sunday Politics‘ programme, explaining that the government owes Nigerians more than just the police reform.

The Afrobeat musician cited healthcare, motorable road networks, education, and improved living standard as things that should placed high on the government’s agenda.

“This (EndSARS protest) is just a start. This government needs to make us a better Nigeria and not talk like its only police reform they owe us because that’s what I’m hearing. ‘Oh, we’ve given you police reform’,” Kuti explained.

“Now, the next thing, we want education to be high on the agenda too. We want housing, transportation, and road networks to be high on the agenda too. We want our healthcare and standard of living to be high on the agenda too.

“Don’t talk as if police brutality is not something. My family, father, grandmother have been the number 1 sufferers of police brutality in Nigeria. So we understand what’s going on.

“And there were panels for the abuses meted out on my family. There was the Oputa panel too when Obasanjo came. What became of it? They’ve done a judicial review of SARS two years ago. What came out of it?

“It was this same government that was in charge. I can remember Obasanjo saying the Oputa panel was just advisory and he doesn’t have to implement anything it says. So there, is also an issue of distrust.

“FG shouldn’t act as if the people trust them. Bring yourself off your high horse, hear out people who voted you in, and know what’s really going on. Don’t look online, feel victimized, or think there are people out to get you.

“No, this is the people trying to talk to you. This is a chance for us to build a bridge. We’ve called for police reform, yes, but we want other things that concern us to be high on your agenda too.”

Davido, an Afropop artiste, recently made similar claims saying President Mohammadu Buhari has not addressed protesters as he ought to because he didn’t feel he owed Nigerians enough.

“Our president has only addressed us once in the past 10 days despite everything that is going on. This is the problem. They don’t feel like they owe us enough. That they owe us explanations enough,” Davido said.

“…that our unhappiness shouldn’t cost them their sleep! It all goes back to our votes. We need electoral reform for these leaders to truly understand this accountability we are asking for is our right!”