Protest should have organised leadership — Osun CSOs warn against infiltration by hoodlums

As Nigeria prepares for the #EndBadGovernance protest, civil society organisations have advised the it should be conducted peacefully, with organised leadership, to prevent infiltration by individuals with ulterior motives.

The call was made by The Osun Masterminds, TOM, a coalition of civil society organisations, during the July State of the State address in Osogbo on Saturday.

TOM, speaking through its Executive Director, Prof Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, maintained that the protest having recognised leadership is crucial in order to avoid further damage to Nigeria’s already strained infrastructure.

Oyedokun-Alli while noting that the state of affairs in Nigeria is truly worrisome, added that the 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.

The TOM Executive Director while advising that having a protest without leadership is very dangerous, condemned threats by security agencies, groups, and political office holders against any form of protest.

He said, “At a time that the country has 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.

“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.

“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.

“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.”

Oyedokun-Alli also advised government at all levels to be more proactive and engage the citizens more by being accountable, transparent, and showing empathy in their dealings.

On the issue of rising insecurity, TOM lamented that citizens now live in mortal fear as killings, kidnappings have become common across the country.

Oyedokun-Alli urged the Federal Government and the security agencies to urgently restrategise inorder to arrest the worsening security situation, adding that it was not enough to sympathise with citizens.

“We must ensure that perpetrators of evil are made to face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrent to others.”