KICNEWS

Tag: Nigerian youths 2024

  • #Endbadgovernment: Take leadership of protest to avoid anarchy – CSO tells organisers

    #Endbadgovernment: Take leadership of protest to avoid anarchy – CSO tells organisers

     

    #Endbadgovernment: Take leadership of protest to avoid anarchy – CSO tells organisers

    #Endbadgovernment: Take leadership of protest to avoid anarchy – CSO tells organisers

     

    A coalition of civil societies in Osun State, The Osun Masterminds, TOM, has stressed the need for the organisers of planned mass protests against bad governance to take leadership of the protest to avoid anarchy.

     

    The group, at its July state-of-the-State address, through its Executive Director, Professor Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli in Osogbo, disclosed that a protest without proper leadership and coordination is a recipe for anarchy.

     

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    While admitting that protest is a right of every citizen who deemed it fit to voice out on how a country is governed but warned the youth to be wary of a poorly organised protest to avoid being infiltrated by hoodlums.

     

    He said, “We strongly hold that the right to protest is that of every citizens of this country and no one should attempt to subdue people’s voices whenever they chose to cry out about how they are been governed or misgoverned. The state of affairs in Nigeria is truly worrisome and people have a right to voice their disapproval as guaranteed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for freedom of association, gathering, and speech.

     

    “We condemn threats by security agencies, groups, and political office holders against any form of protest. Our democracy as presently enjoyed, was borne out of agitations, therefore, if there is any component of democracy that is germane, it is that of freedom.

     

    “At a time that we have not fully recovered from the woes of the EndSars, the looting, maiming and destruction of lives and public facilities that were and still being replaced by our common patrimony or lost forever, we CAN’T afford to have a repeat of such as a nation and that is why the note of caution is been sounded to the ears of particularly the youths, than an uncoordinated protest or one that is without leadership is a very dangerous.

     

    “It is in this light that we caution that the protest be conducted peacefully, and no form of infiltration must be allowed by hoodlums and those whose intentions are not patriotic. We already are having a shortage in critical infrastructure in the country, and we can not afford to by ourselves destroy the very few functional national assets, in the name of showing grievances against the government.

     

    The group charged government at various levels to be proactive, transparent and accountable to gain the people’s trust.

     

    “We advise the government to be more proactive and engage the citizens more by being accountable, transparent, and showing empathy in their dealings and demand from the system that accommodate their representation and leadership”, he added.

  • Using Oro festival to stop protest, huge joke Sowore, Yesufu, others

    Using Oro festival to stop protest, huge joke Sowore, Yesufu, others

    Using Oro festival to stop protest, huge joke Sowore, Yesufu, others.

    Using Oro festival to stop protest, huge joke Sowore, Yesufu, others
    Sowore slams Nigerian Army for shutting Banex Plaza in Abuja over soldiers, traders’ clash

    Some rights activists, including Lagos natives under the aegis of De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, Omoyele Sowore, and Aisha Yesufu, have criticised the use of the Oro festival to halt the planned national protest on August 1.

    They described this move as a huge joke and insisted that the protest would proceed as planned.

    The Oro festival has been trending on X (formerly Twitter) after a pro-Lagos social media page announced that the festival would take place during the planned nationwide protests from August 1 to 15, 2024.

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    The post read, “Attention residents and visitors of Lagos. Please be informed that the Oro festival will be observed in various communities across Lagos from the 1st of August to August 15. This traditional Yoruba cultural event involves significant rituals.”

    Reacting to this, the De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, through its Media Office, said, “This government is bastardizing our cultures and traditions. What business does the state government have with ‘Oro’ and for what purpose? Let’s assume that the protesters defy this, and we think they should. How will the state enforce it as such enforcement is tantamount to a restriction of their fundamental human rights of freedom of movement, association, etc.? Again, for the Oro festival, will the government declare a work-free week?

    “Government should separate our traditions from this impending madness. What will the government do to assuage the feelings of those who will not be able to conduct their legitimate business during this period of malaise that the government is getting into? Yoruba will regret this unconscionable act of the government hiding behind this spiritual and traditional act in trying to scuttle the protest. Can’t they find another means?”

    Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) wrote, “Oro festival in Lagos now allegedly scheduled for the first two weeks of August. The exact same period as the planned protests by the youths.”

    Aisha Yesufu Jibrilla (@ukocarter) reacted via her X page, “The prestigious Oro Festival is now a political tool. Y’all now understand why they tried to ban ‘Gangs of Lagos’ because it exposed them.”

    United Kingdom-based writer Abanikanda Olumoro said, “Why are you so particular about Lagos and not your own states where your indigeneship, by constitutional rights, is domiciled? The festival of masquerade does not last long. You should be ashamed because Lagos State owners and indigenes are poised and have resources to take back their State, and you cannot stop them. If Nigerians are staging a nationwide protest against bad governance in Abuja, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Gombe, Sokoto, etc., don’t think anyone will take you seriously to say it is a Lagos issue. No. It is a show for Nigeria being staged by Nigerians across tribes and religions. President Tinubu has begged them not to protest, but you have spoiled all of that because these Nigerians, from the information I receive daily, are not going back regardless of military and police forces you are deploying.”