Protests: Ilorin Emirate Youths Express Support For Tinubu, Preach Dialogue   

The youths of Ilorin Emirate in Kwara State, on Sunday, expressed their unalloyed support for President Bola Tinubu amid threats of protests against hunger and hardship from certain quarters in the country.

Expressing opposition to any form of protest against the government, the Ilorin youths under the aegis of Ilorin Emirate Youth Development Association (IEYDA) declared that, “we are poised to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, allowing time for his numerous programmes and initiatives to take root and flourish.”

The IEYDA president, Abdullahi Salau, made the position of Ilorin Emirate youths on the proposed protest known during a news conference he addressed in Ilorin, the state capital.

Justifying their position, Salau said: “Here in Ilorin, and as proud Dahiri of the Emirates, we hold dear certain cultural and religious values, including but not limited to respect for and deferrance constituted authorities. That is why more often than not, we are constantly reminded of the several effective channels of communication we have with constituted authorities, be it political, traditional, religious and community.

“Our esteemed Emir, Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari; the governor of Kwara State and chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Malam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; the Turaki of Ilorin Emirate, Senator Saliu Mustapha; and other members of the National Assembly are always within our sphere of reach. Additionally, our revered traditional, religious, and community leaders, along with all others in positions of leadership, are merely just a call away.

“We are thus encouraged to give them more time to implement their vision for our community.”

They, however, urged the president and his team to double up their efforts to ensure that the gains of his ongoing reforms were quickly and effectively felt.

While acknowledging the inalienable rights of the organisers of the protest to express their demands through legitimate means, including protest, Salau said, “we refused to close our eyes on the imminent dangers and chaos that might come out of such protest.”

He added: “We want to appeal to the youths, Kwarans, and Nigerians at large to exercise patience and reconsider their decision to protest.

“We acknowledge the challenges we face as people; the unbearable hardship, but we must also consider the potential consequences of our actions.

“Let us not forget the lessons from the past, where protests were hijacked, leading to destruction of lives and properties. We must not be allowed to suffer the same fate.

“Instead of protesting, we offer our support to the government at both the state and federal levels through constant engagement. We will continue to share our thoughts, ideas, and grievances through dialogue and collaboration. We believe we can achieve far more through dialogue and collaboration than division and unrest.

“We appeal to the organizers to shelve the planned protest and embrace peace, patience, and dialogue.

“To the government, we urge for better and prompt communication of government plans and policies. We also particularly urge the governments, both at the state and federal levels, to continue to ensure that dividends, palliatives, programs, and benefits reach the grassroots in a nonpartisan manner.”