“Our Youths Cannot See Clearly” -- Ex-Lagos Commissioner Garbadeen

Governorship and house of assembly elections held in Lagos on Saturday.
Many voters voted for their next governor and house of assembly member.
A former commissioner was among the voters and our reporter caught up with him.

Eko Hot Blog reports that the former Commissioner of the Lagos State Civil Service Commission, Duke Olabode Garbadeen, has scolded youths that are angry over recent elections, saying they cannot see clearly.

The buildup to Saturday’s governorship and house of assembly elections in Lagos was rife with incitements of intimidation and violence against certain groups of voters.

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The incitements generated anger on social media and some credited it for the victory of the Labour Party in the February 25 presidential election in Lagos.

Speaking to Eko Hot Blog after casting his votes on Saturday at his polling unit, Ogunmodede secondary school Papa, Epe, Lagos, Garbadeen told a proverb that suggested that the elders see what the young ones cannot see.

Former Commissioner of the Lagos State Civil Service Commission, Duke Olabode Garbadeen, speaking to Eko Hot Blog

While noting that he respects the wish of the young Nigerians for a good Nigeria, he said they should “listen to their parents” because they “cannot be wrong.”

“Concerning the youth, I will be proverbial. You know there is this story od the vulture and the chicken. The chicken, being the child of the fowl. The chicken has this tendency of playing with the vulture, innocently. But the fowl, the mother of the chicken will not allow it because it knows the agenda of the vulture is to swallow the chicken.

“So, our youths cannot see clearly. I respect their innocence. I respect their wish for good Nigeria. I respect their view that we should be the same, that we shouldn’t discriminate but there are some issues that cannot open to them. They should try and listen to their parents. Their parents cannot be wrong.

“Talking about the anger. There are a lot of things that are missing in Nigeria that nobody can claim to ignore. But Rome is never built in a day. We will get there. Of course, we are drifting towards getting there. So, let’s maintain that.

“No progress can ever be made without peace. I want to discourage our youths. They always use this threat, that they will lock places down. But they should remember what happened during EndSARS. I don’t think the youths who came out to protest wanted any evil but there will always be evil ones that will hijack it.

“To that respect, I’ll want to caution youths, that they should read between the lines. While they enjoy the benefits of freedom guaranteed to them by the constitution, they should be discerning.”

He added that he expects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to win his reelection bid when all votes are counted.