By Our Correspondent
The Yoruba Global Council (YGC), a Diaspora-based Yoruba socio-cultural organization, has appealed to Nigerians to call off their impending nationwide protest, tagged “EndBadGovernance,” scheduled to commence on August 1, 2024. This was done in their monthly meeting held virtually on Sunday, July 28th, 2024, where over sixty members from Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia were well represented.
In a press statement jointly signed and made available to the media by Prince Segun Akanni, The General Secretary of the group and Otunba Tunji Akinyele, Director, Mobilization and Public Engagement of the Yoruba Global Council, stated that while peaceful protest is a civic and constitutional right and a tool for citizens to demand better governance, this impending protest appears poised to disrupt government activities at a delicate time.
In light of this, YGC is appealing to Nigerians and those preparing for the protest to grant the government more time to enact changes and strive towards making Nigeria great again.
The group reminds Nigerians of the adverse effects of protests, particularly recalling the events during the “EndSars” protest. They highlighted how some unscrupulous elements exploited the situation to loot personal properties and vandalize government properties, such as burning down BRT buses in Lagos and vandalization of many government infrastructures across the country. To prevent a recurrence of such events, YGC urges Nigerians to reconsider their proposed protest.
YGC reiterated that while protest is a constitutional right, it should remain peaceful. They warned that initiating conflict is easy, but managing its aftermath is challenging, citing the ongoing situation in Kenya as an example where initial peaceful demonstrations escalated into violence, leading to appeals for government intervention to restore normalcy.
“We respectfully call Nigerians to embrace dialogue, and encourage the government to engage the stakeholders, such as traditional leaders, religious leaders, political leaders and eminent personalities for a robust discussion to end the ongoing hardships faced by Nigerian. Development can only thrive in a peaceful environment. Let us all be united and collectively tackle the prevailing economic hardship confronting Nigeria.
More efforts must be made, and more measures should be taken to improve the current situation of Nigerians. We believe that President Tinubu is committed to the ongoing reforms and should be supported by all well-meaning Nigerians, both at home and in diaspora. The group said.
Additionally, YGC advised the government of President Bola Tinubu to prioritize policies that positively impact the masses. They commended Tinubu’s bold steps over the decision to fight for the financial autonomy of local governments in the country and urged him to allow INEC to conduct local government elections instead of state governments.
The group also recommends organizing seminars for all 774 local government chairmen in Abuja, whereby Mr. President will educate them on integrity, dedication, and commitment to national development and to warn against the mismanagement of public funds.
The group emphasized the importance of local governments as the closest tier of government to the people and urged them to make Nigeria proud.
In conclusion, YGC called for faith in the current administration, reminding citizens that “Rome was not built in a day” and that the system has deteriorated significantly. They urged Nigerians to give President Tinubu more time to implement changes, emphasizing that current hardships are global and not unique to Nigeria. The group appealed for patience and non-violence, encouraging citizens not to be swayed by external influences.
God bless Nigeria!
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