A former women leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Executive Director, Business Development of the Nigerian-Export Import Bank (NEXIM), Hon Stella Okotete, has appealed to Nigerian youth who are disgruntled with the current situation to rethink their decision to embark on a nationwide protest.
In a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, Okotete who was a Ministerial nominee last year urged the people to be patient with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, adding that the Nigerian situation was not an isolated one but a global phenomenon.
She asserted that she is not unaware that the essence of the protest was to draw government’s attention to the suffering of the downtrodden in the country, and even though the organisers may have good intentions, there are fifth columnists planning to hijack the protest and turn it into a demonstration that may be uncontrollable.
Okotete however assured that President Tinubu is working hard to build a stronger economy that will bring prosperity to all its Citizens.
The statement reads in parts: “Dearest Young Nigerians , We are the pride of Africa, We are the present and Future gains of Nigeria and We are the Nigeria the world celebrates at all levels. I bring you greetings at this trying moment of our national life.
“As it stands, we are in a challenging situation all over the world. This situation has called for the concerns of great compatriots who are determined to push for urgent and drastic measures to address the difficult situation we have found ourselves.
“The fact remains that this difficulty is not an isolated one attributed to our dear country Nigeria alone. People all over the world are feeling the brunt of economic downturns and hardship. Expectedly, this setback has drawn reactions from people of other countries as well as ours.
“In Britain, Germany, France and other European countries, there were several protests to draw government’s attention to the desperate situations which have suddenly bedevilled the world.
“In recent times the Kenyan citizens reacted to the inability of the government to tackle the rising cost of living and inflation. For weeks the Kenya economy was shut down and now at its most fragile state, worst than before the protest started.. Citizens lost friends and family members, businesses lost goods and transactions attracting hunger, shortage in food supplies, lack of electricity as infrastructures were destroyed and also led to loss of jobs.
“The cloud is gathering here in Nigeria as we speak. As a young Nigerian myself , I understand your pain , Many country men are feeling the rising cost of living and are currently dissatisfied with the pace at which the government is responding to the rising cost of living and inflation.But trust me, The Government is working hard to build a stronger economy that will bring prosperity to all its Citizens
“Certain persons have planned to stage a nationwide protest to draw government’s attention to the suffering of the downtrodden in our country. Those who planned this nationwide protest may have good intentions as civilized comrades. However, there are fifth columnists planning to hijack this protest and turn it into a demonstration that may be uncontrollable.
“Recall that two major calamities hit our country three years ago: the COVID-19 lockdown and the Endsars protest. These two events affected our fragile economy that was gradually recovering from recession. Production and supply of goods, particularly food were distorted to the extent that we are yet to recover from those ugly incidents.
“During the Endsars protest, many struggling business men and women lost quite a fortune to looting occasioned by hoodlums who took advantage of the situation.
“Some persons also wanted to use it as an opportunity to launch their political agenda by destroying government properties acquired by taxpayers monies. Commuter buses, bus stations and government buildings including court were razed down. Private owned properties were also destroyed in the name of a protest.
“The crescendo of that protest which turned out to be a mutiny was the death of citizens who were either protesting or were security officers on national duty.
“The genuine intention of the protesters became something else as they could not control the hoodlums who took laws into their hands.
“What were the gains or achievements of that protest? Did it change the government as those who sponsored the hoodlums aimed to attain? The answer is obviously in the negative. The protest gave opportunity to young Nigerians to realize their strength politically.
“In order to actualize their zeal to be part of government, the youths came out en masse to participate in the 2023 general election that has changed the dynamics of our political formation. The youths realized that you cannot change the government of a country through any other means except through an election. That is the essence of constitutional democracy which has come to stay in Nigeria.”
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