Protest: Abiodun Urges Youth To Embrace Dialogue

Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun has appealed to Nigerian youths to constructively engage the government in finding lasting solutions to the nation’s problems rather than engaging in protests that could cause more harm to the country.

Abiodun made the appeal when he met with the 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 caused by the #EndSARS protests across the country in 2020, said protests could only aggravate issues without necessarily finding solutions to them.

“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 the 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 country. 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.

He said Nigeria, like many other countries across the world, was going through a difficult time, hence the need for the youths to bring their vibrancy, zeal, ingenuity, and technical know-how to solving problems.