Grammy-nominated afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti has called on both the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Federal Government to implement significant measures against the military in order to prevent a coup d’état.
In response to insults directed at the Governor by certain unidentified soldiers due to the arrest of one of their comrades for a traffic violation, the outspoken singer expressed his concerns.
He emphasized that failure to curb the military’s excesses would result not only in the suffering of civilians but also of politicians.
Kuti additionally ridiculed the soldiers for their threat to “humiliate” social media influencer VeryDarkMan for supporting Sanwo-Olu’s actions. He remarked that the military tends to bully civilians while avoiding confrontations with terrorists.
Speaking during an Instagram live session with fans, the singer said: “I didn’t want to speak on this very matter, but when I open my Instagram this morning, I saw a video of one of the unruly soldiers threatening to humiliate VeryDarkMan for making comment on Sanwo-Olu’s arrest of one of their colleagues. Imagine, in a free country.
“Sanwo-Olu and co, you people don’t understand anything. You think you [politicians] are protected from this [military], boys? Have you forgotten what military coup is? If you guys don’t do your job now, stamp down on this impunity in the armed forces, keep them to their barracks, treat their fckups anytime they fck up… If any soldier misbehaves, make sure the commandant of the barrack he is attached to is removed.
“If you don’t treat them like that, do you think it is only Fela’s family they will kill? You don’t understand as the government claimed that it was unknown soldiers that killed my grandmother, Fumilayo Kuti… They killed my grandmother threw her from the window because they were acting based on government order.
“The government protected all of them, saying they were unknown soldiers. Now, they are threatening you, Governor. The table has turned from civilians now; they’re now threatening politicians, too.
“Now, let me address the soldier that was threatening VeryDarkMan. I, Seun, is telling you guys that if you do anything to VDM, you guys, too won’t have peace. It’s only for civilians that you can show your power, but when it comes to Boko Haram, you run away. If Boko Haram open fire, you beg Nigerians; civilians to support you in your fight against terrorists.” Or