-Advocates engagement rather than confrontation
-Appeals to organizers to shelve the plan
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organization, Afenifere, has appealed to Nigerians to be circumspect on the issue of the nationwide protests being contemplated by some people in the country.
In a statement by the organisation’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi deposed that whilst the people have an inalienable right to protest, consideration should be given to the general atmosphere surrounding the planned protest.
“Information at the disposal of Afenifere is that the planned protest is to draw the attention of the government to the excruciating situation in the country. As the saying goes, those who feel it, know it. In other words, Nigerians consider protest as a way of registering their displeasure, perhaps disenchantment over what many are going through. It’s in order.
“But there are some factors that need to be put into consideration. First is whether protest is the only means by which government’s attention can be called to the perceived hardship in the land. And, if the protest path is to be taken, what form should it take?”
Afenifere spokesman stated that protest is certainly not the only way to draw attention to the situation in the land.
“Engagement is a very potent instrument not only to call attention to the situation on ground, but to decide on what the ways out should be.
“Incidentally, the federal government has not only expressed its awareness of what is going on in the country, it expressed a commitment to engagements with Nigerians so as to find solutions to the myriad of challenges that the country is facing. Challenges that are the basis for the planned protests.”
Ajayi recalled the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, vowing that President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and members of his government are committed to engaging Nigerians including those behind the planned protest.
He added, “Going by experiences from similar protests in the recent past, it’s difficult to say that this one will achieve the objective of bettering the present situation because of the risks of being hijacked by hoodlums etc.”
