A group, Door-to-Door Youth and Women Initiative for Good Governance, in collaboration with some civil society organisations (CSOs), has warned against economic setbacks of public protests.
At a press conference yesterday on the planned protests by some groups against the country’s current hardships, the group appealed to the planners to channel their energy towards constructive engagement and dialogue.
The initiative’s members at the press conference were the Centre for Democratic Liberty, Patriotic Citizens Forum, Women in Politics and Governance, Northern Progressives Young Women Forum, and Matasan Siyasar Arewa.
The national convener, Hajia Khadija Yusuf, stressed the importance of channelling their strength and wisdom towards dialogue, collaboration, and constructive engagement rather than succumbing to sensationalised and politically motivated calls for protest.
“While protest remains a fundamental right of every citizen as enshrined in our constitution, it is evident that beyond genuine complaints, these recent calls to protest have been highly sensationalised and carry glaring political undertones,“ Khadija Yusuf stated.
“We must be aware that some of the voices pushing for these protests are those who have lost in the political arena and are desperate to plunge our country into crisis for their gain.“
The conference highlighted the genuine concerns of the youth, acknowledging the current reality and level of hunger in the land that affects all social and economic strata. Hajia Khadija Yusuf, however, pointed out that the narrative in media spaces, especially on social media, has been manipulated to incite unrest and anarchy.
On the aftermath of previous protests, Mr Kunle Ajayi of the Centre for Democratic Literacy said, „The aftermath of the EndSARS protests, for instance, left Lagos in significant disarray. The economic cost was immense, estimated at over $1.5 billion; many small businesses were destroyed, and public infrastructure significantly suffered.