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An author, Sharaf Adewale, said his first book, ‘The Blood Stained Flag,’ serves as a poignant reflection on the events of October 20, 2020, a day that marked a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s history.
In his address during the unveiling of the book held in Lagos, he recounted how the peaceful protests against police brutality transformed into chaos when military troops, led by Lt. Col. S.O. Bello, violently intervened at the Lekki Tollgate.
He described the emotional weight of the date, stating, “Every 20th of October, our old wound is reopened; our fallen heroes are remembered.”
He explained that his writing was inspired not only by his poem, “The Blood Stained Flag,” composed on that fateful night but also by a longstanding desire to advocate for justice.
Adewale articulated several key objectives for the book, saying “To illuminate the peaceful nature of the protests and the unwarranted military response, to expose the greed and willingness of leaders to suppress movements that seek to liberate the oppressed, to reveal government efforts to cover up the atrocities committed against protesters and to present the unbiased findings of the Justice Okwobi Panel and challenge the official denial of the Lekki massacre.”
While providing an insight into the book’s structure, Adewale said, ‘The Blood Stained Flag,’ was divided into four sections, “The Peaceful Protest and the Military Meddling, highlights how Nigerian youths gathered to demand the disbandment of the notorious SARS unit, detailing the government’s initial attempts to undermine the protests through the deployment of hoodlums.
“The Impartial Panel, discusses the Lagos State Government’s establishment of a judicial panel to investigate police brutality, including the events of October 20, 2020. He outlines the panel’s findings, which indicted the military and police for the deaths and injuries sustained by protesters.
“Defending a State Crime, addresses the attempts by pro-government figures to discredit the panel’s report, including accusations of discrepancies that were never substantiated.
“Lastly, The Illegal White Paper, critiques the white paper issued by the Lagos State Government in response to the panel’s findings, arguing that it was illegal and dismissive of the documented evidence of violence.”
Adewale concluded his address by emphasising the importance of truth and accountability in Nigeria’s quest for justice.
He expressed hope that his books would serve as crucial tools in the ongoing fight for transparency and reform within the nation’s governance.
