By Ayo Okulaja, AfricaNews reporter in Lagos, Nigeria
The ongoing protest against the removal of fuel subsidy claimed another life in Lagos, Nigeria as the protest began on the second day of a nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union. The unidentified man; a motorcycle-rider was knocked down by a commercial bus and dumped in a flame of burn fire (burning tyres) at Ketu bus stop along Ikorodu road-a major highway.
The unfortunate accident occurred just a few meters away from the Gani Fawehenmi's Park-now dubbed Freedom Park-where thousands of people were gathered for the protest.
According to eye witness account, the motorcyclist was riding towards beside the commercial bus when the driver of the bus swerved, running over the cyclist. ''The motorcyclist was hooked under the front wheel of the bus and as the driver drove on, the man suddenly fell into the flames of the burn-fire in front of them on the expressway'' said a distraught retailer who witnessed the accident.
Burn-fires have been a major feature of the protest since it began eight days ago, after the federal government announced the removal of subsidy on the importation of petrol into the country. The used tyres are set ablaze in the middle of the expressway preventing the movement of vehicles and it serves as a symbol of the protest.
The motorcyclist, burnt to death on the spot as the fuel from the motorcycle tank accentuated the inferno into which he fell with the bike. He died on the spot while his passenger who fell off the motorcycle as the accident occurred, sustained injuries on his head and a broken leg. He has since been rushed to a General hospital, while the corpse of the Okada man was collected by police officers from Alapere Police Station, Ketu.
''If it wasn’t for this protest caused by the insensitivity of the federal government, this guy would not have died this manner of death, even if he is destined to die today'' tearfully said another woman at the scene of the accident.
This is the second death to recorded in Lagos since the nationwide strike called by the Labour groups. An armless protester was shot dead by policemen during the early hours of the protest on Monday.
The Lagos state government had on Monday, through a statement, called for caution on burning of tyres on the highways during the protest. The government claimed the fire ''damages the asphalt used on the road surface, of the newly rehabilited road'' and this leads to ''creating potholes.''
Jonathan must go
The second day of the protest recorded more crowds compared to Monday, when the protest started. A bit more organisation went into the protest as a centre stage was constructed over night at the heart of the square and more speakers were provided to enhance the audibility of every speaker that addressed the mammoth crowd.
Notable speakers on the second day of the protest include, the founder of Odua People's Congress-Fredrick Fasheun, human rights activist; Femi Falana, and the convener of the Save Nigeria Group
(SNG); Tunde Bakare, who called for the resignation of the President and his entire cabinet.
Mr Bakare recalled how the SNG, just a year ago,used protest to ensure the emergence of the then Vice-President as Acting President, after a cabal refused him the right to take over power from ailing President, Umaru Yar'Adua.
According to Mr Bakare, ''this President (Goodluck Jonathan) now says he is ready for any protest and we assure him that we the great people of Nigeria will not cease protest until he rescinds the price of fuel to N65 and fights corruption or step aside.'' ''Jonathan lacks the intellectual capacity to rule this great nation'' he added affirmatively.
Other speakers were musicians such as Pasuma, Dede Mabiaku, Eedris Abdulkareem, Igbo-rapper, All Nigga raw and Nollywood actor; Desmond Elliot. They condemned the federal government and demanded that the price of fuel be reverted to the old price of fuel or ''no deal.''
Nigeria's leading opposition party; the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) also joined the calls and urged the President to ''listen to the voice of the people'', as expressed through what it called the ''widely successful nationwide protests,'' and revert to the old petrol price of 65 naira per litre.
The party made this known in a statement issued in Lagos by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, warning that ''the President should by now have realized that he had been deceived, or allowed himself to be deceived, by unscrupulous advisers into removing a non-existent
subsidy and inflicting unnecessary pain on Nigerians.''
The party advised him to ''fire such advisers and retrace his steps.''
It also hailed organised labour, civil society partners and advised them not to ''allow themselves to be railroaded into making a compromise that will not be in the interest of the people.''
According to the party, the successful management of the ongoing protests, by the labour groups so far, has ''redeemed their image.'' ''Many had expressed doubt at their (labour's) ability to lead the people against the subsidy removal.
Labour has now dispelled any doubt about their resolve and they should see this to the end'' the party said.
