World Institute for Peace and Jongo Farmers Organisation have announced their withdrawal from the planned protest against hardship and bad governance in Nigeria, calling on Nigerian youths to shun demonstration and embrace agriculture.
They anchored their reason for dissociating from the protest on “unsavoury experience” with ENDSARS protest in the country and to prevent breakdown of law and order in the society.
Addressing a media briefing in Osogbo on Wednesday, the Executive Director, World Institute for Peace, Kamiludeen Omotoyosi Lamina, called on Nigerian youths to desist from carrying out the protest in national interest, and asked President Bola Tinubu to address the issue of local refinery to reduce fuel pump price, eliminate artificial scarcity and work hard to crash the inflation.
“We observed that many geo-political zones, especially the South East Zone, is not participating in the protest among other zones in the country, a development which has suggested ethnic and religion coloration. As a stakeholder, we cannot afford to experience the previous massive destruction of life and properties that came on the ills of the hijacked EndSARS protest of 2020.
“Having regard the above developments and dangerous trend, we want to announce our withdrawal from the planned protest scheduled to start tomorrow, Thursday, August 1, 2024. This withdrawal will affect our youth and student peace advocates cells across Nigeria, and most especially Osun State, the cradle of South West.
“For avoidance of doubt, we are committed to the fundamental human rights as enshrined in Chapter Four of Nigerian 1999 Constitution as amended, Africa Charter on Human and Peoples Right and United Nation Declaration on Human Rights that guarantee rights to protest and freedom of assembly; but we are opposed to any form of protest that will impose further hunger and complicate the already challenged and emasculated economy.
“Our own position is peaceful and lawful protest that will draw the attention and force the government at all levels to the current economic crisis facing over 200 million Nigerians by addressing the skyrocketing inflation, high fuel price and expensive food commodities which is the responsibility of all levels of governments, private sector and Nigeria business communities.
“We are totally opposed to protest calling for the end of Nigeria and elimination of constitution,” Lamina said.
However, he said, “The government must also accelerate efforts to reduce the food scarcity which is the primary source of hardship in Nigeria.
“We also challenge the state Governors, particularly the Osun State Government led by Governor Ademola Nurudeen Ademola Jackson to justify the over N50billion grants and over N200billion federal allocations accrued to the state in the last one year as well as for palliatives received from federal government just as he should enumerate to the people of Osun the state government’s plans and efforts to improve food production.
“All tiers of government must take responsibility for this hardship at this moment. We opposed violent ethnic and politically motivated protest in Osun and propose dialogue to address economic hardship in the country and urge the citizens to be vigilant just as we warn unsuspected members of the public against arson and destruction of properties.”
In his submission, the Director-General of Jongo Farmers Organisation, Tajudeen Azeez, asked youths not to protest, rather, they should go into farming as a way 9f addressing food shortage and inflation.
“We enjoin our youths not to protest but instead, we should channel our strength into farming and production. The state just procured tractors. Let us turn to agriculture and produce more food. The current farmers in rural areas are old people. We enjoin youths to go to farms so that prices of food items will reduce,” he said.
