CORE said this in reaction to the ban on protest on October 1 by the Lagos State Police Command.
Different civic groups and bodies had slated a protest on the day to express anger at the degrading state of the country.
Baba Aye and Gbenga Komolafe, Co-conveners of CORE, said the group will go on with its scheduled protest and urged other civil society groups to embark on their respective protests.
“We want to make it clear that we remain undeterred and the protest cannot be stopped.
“When in our national anthem it is said “the Labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain” we remember clearly that the labour of real heroes of independence was struggle: protests that were not deterred by the colonialists repressive tactics.
“We salute Michael Imoudu, Raji Abdallah, Mokwugo Okoye, Margaret Ekpo, Mallam Aminu Kano, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Nduka Eze, Baba Omojola, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Wahab Goodluck.
“These and the thousands of working-class class people and youths who took to the streets and downed tools in the workplaces are the heroes of what was won 60 years ago but which was bastardized by the thieving elites who took over power.
“We take the liberation struggle forward towards our total and lasting self-emancipation. Come out one and all, rise and reclaim your dignity and win a better life. Down with all forces of oppression and their tools of repression.
“We call on all Nigerians not to succumb to intimidation. Our peaceful protests against the elites’ corruption, our state of poverty and underdevelopment of the country shall proceed as planned and the take off point remains the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota in Lagos and at all points in our posters across every state of the federation. Take-off time in all the states’ capitals remains 8am prompt,” the statement reads.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
