The governor of Ogun state, Dapo Abiodun, has appealed to young people in Nigeria to draw lessons from the ENDSARS protests and shelve talks of an upcoming protest and constructively dialogue with the government instead.
The governor gave the charge when he hosted a coalition of youth organizations in the state at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The governor, who recalled the destruction of lives and properties occasioned by the EndSARS protests across the country in 2020, said protests could only aggravate issues without necessarily finding solutions to them.
He said: “and yet again, there are calls for mass protests across the country, and the first thing that agitates one’s mind is, is that the way to present our case to the government? Is that the way to constructively and objectively engage with government by advertising and planning mass protests? Is there something behind those who are calling for these protests? Is this another plan by those who have tried their luck and have lost? Is this their own way and shortcut to see how to frustrate the government?
“Young men and women, you have no other country than this Nigeria. Let me assure you that I have travelled far and wide. I am sure, like many of you, there is no country in the world where you can walk like your own, that country is Nigeria. There is no other place where nobody will accost you, and you would not challenge that person.
“You cannot go to London and say do you know who I am and the people there will not look at you and say that you have an identity problem. But in Nigeria, you can look at somebody in the face and say “do you know who I am?”
“There is a Yoruba proverb that says ‘beheading is not the solution for a headache’. If there are issues, let us discuss them, let us find a way around them, let us manage and correct them. Let us not cut off the head or attempt to cut off the head because of a headache. That will amount to decapitation,” Abiodun advised.
The governor said the challenges facing Nigeria is not unique as many other countries around the world are going through economic turmoil.
The governor acknowledged the maturity displayed by the youths in the State during the EndSARS protests.
He added: “This engagement will not be complete if I do not thank you, the Ogun State youths. I will be ungrateful, and it will be the peak of ingratitude if I do not appreciate your matured conduct during that period.
“I want to remind you that there was EndSARS, when there were protests in different parts of the country, particularly in Lagos, Abuja, and other parts where there were looting, burning and the likes. They were attacking anything attackable, but you, the youths of Ogun State said though we are angry and dissatisfied with the ways things are, we are not criminals, we are not looters, we will not participate in the protest, to that I say a big thank you.”
