Media Rights Agenda To Stage ‘Walk Against Impunity’ in Lagos

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Friday, November 8th, 2013

By Eric Ojo

In line with its resolve to continue to support anti-impunity campaign in Nigeria, Media Rights Agenda (MRA) will on Monday in Lagos, embark on a Walk Against Impunity in order to draw more attention to the malaise.

The anti-impunity protest which the MRA is staging in collaboration with the Lagos Governor’s Office Correspondents (LAGOCO), forms part of activities marking LAGOCO Week which takes place from November 11 to 15, 2013.

The Walk is aimed at raising awareness among residents of Lagos State about the problem of impunity in virtually all sectors of the Nigerian society and its negative consequences on the country’s growth and development as well as to mobilize people to develop a culture of challenging acts of impunity.

The Deputy Executive Director of the MRA, Ms Jennifer Onyejekwe, who disclosed this in a statement issued at the weekend, explained that MRC’s decision to collaborate with LAGOCO on the initiative, was necessitated by the deep-rooted and grossly unacceptable level of impunity in the country.

Ms. Onyejekwe noted that impunity makes it difficult to tackle corruption and that no fight against corruption can succeed without first or simultaneously waging a successful war against impunity.

“Given the pervasive and entrenched nature of impunity in Nigeria which has also manifested in the form of bad governance and widespread lawlessness among ordinary citizens, it is very important for various groups and interests working on this very important issue to collaborate and coordinate as much as possible so that they can build synergies to improve their effectiveness”, she said.

The Walk, according to the statement, will begin at 9.45am from the Ikeja Local Government Secretariat at Anifowose area of Ikeja, go through the stretch of Obafemi Awolowo Way to Lagos State Secretariat at Alausa, where it will terminate.

It further explained that at the Lagos State Secretariat, several campaigners against impunity will give short speeches on impunity, its effect and what every Nigerian can and should do to bring an end to impunity in the land.

“MRA is collaborating on the Walk Against Impunity within the framework of the Stop Impunity Nigeria (S.I.N) Campaign which is being implemented by MRA and three other civil society organisations (NGOs) and in preparation towards the ‘Week of Action Against Impunity’ later this month. The activities will culminate in a ‘Day of Action Against Impunity’ on November 23, 2013.

During the Walk Against Impunity, MRA, LAGOCO and the S.I.N Campaign will provide various information materials to enlighten the public on the issues and what actions they can take”, the statement added