Oyebanji, Police, others beg Ekiti youths to shun protest

Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji, the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, Adeniran Adewale, traditional rulers and other stakeholders, on Monday, appealed to youths in the state to shelve the planned nationwide protest in the overall interest of the country.

The governor said that the protest cannot solve the country’s challenges, especially the current hardship being faced by the citizens, but would only worsen the pains of Nigerians and further inflict damage on the country’s economy.

Mr Oyebanji and other stakeholders spoke in Ado-Ekiti, during a meeting organised to brainstorm on how to dissuade the protesters from the planned nationwide protest starting from 1 August.

The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security, Ebenezer Ogundana, a retired brigadier general, called on the youth to embrace dialogue in pressing home their demand.

He warned that the protest could be hijacked by criminal elements to cause mayhem and destabilise the country.

Mr Oyebanji acknowledged that though the country was currently going through challenges, President Bola Tinubu had taken bold steps in addressing the economic challenges and the attendant hardship.

He noted that Nigerians only needed to exercise little patience, and urged them to give Mr Tinubu more time to implement his developmental blueprint towards making the Renewed Hope Agenda a reality.

On his part, the police commissioner said the meeting became necessary to engage relevant stakeholders and take feedback to the appropriate authorities for action.

Mr Adewale urged all the groups planning to protest in the state to come forward and give necessary details, saying this was necessary to ensure that the protest was peaceful.

Meanwhile, a group, under the auspices of Nigerian Youth for Democracy (NYD), has advised the youth to explore dialogue instead of staging a protest that could grind the economy to a halt.

The group’s National Coordinator and former Special Assistant on Youth and Students Affairs in the state, Moses Ademiloye, said past protests had resulted in arson attacks and violence on perceived political opponents.

Mr Ademiloye added that any protest of national dimension has the potential of causing economic disruptions, forcing businesses to close down, and straining public resources.

He warned that this could lead to job losses and exacerbate economic hardship for many Nigerians, particularly the struggling youths.

“While protest is a form of expression, it should not replace constructive dialogue and democratic processes. Engaging in protests without exhausting other means of communication and negotiation can undermine the very democratic principles we seek to uphold.

“In light of these potential consequences, I urge all Nigerian youths to consider alternative, constructive means of effecting change. Let us engage with policymakers, community leaders, and stakeholders through dialogue. Let us present well-researched, viable solutions to the issues at hand. Constructive engagement can lead to meaningful changes without the risks associated with protests,” he added.

Also speaking at the forum, Commissioner for Information and Value Orientation, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said there had been no protests held in the country in the past that had not been hijacked.

He said that no responsible government would fold its hands and allow miscreants to hijack the protest and cause chaos, which explains why the leadership of the country has been appealing for dialogue.

Mr Olatunbosun explained that Mr Oyebanji wants the protesters to come forward with their demands, so that government could look at it dispassionately with a view to solving them.