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Go for dialogue, not protest – Afenifere
Published By: Paul Dada
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, says Nigerians should rather embrace dialogue rather than engage in the nationwide protest scheduled to begin on August 1.
Afenifere gave this admonition in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi.
He stated: “Information at the disposal of Afenifere is that the planned protest is to draw the attention of the government to the excruciating situation in the country.
“As the saying goes, those who feel it, know it. In other words, Nigerians consider protest as a way of registering their displeasure, perhaps disenchantment over what many are going through. It’s in order.
“But there are some factors that need to be put into consideration. First is whether protest is the only means by which the government’s attention can be called to the perceived hardship in the land. And, if the protest path is to be taken, what form should it take?
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“Engagement is a very potent instrument not only to call attention to the situation on ground, but to decide on what the ways should be.
“Incidentally, the Federal Government has not only expressed its awareness of what is going on in the country, it expressed a commitment to engagements with Nigerians so as to find solutions to the myriad of challenges that the country is facing. Challenges that are the basis for the planned protests.
“The experience of what happened during #Endsars in 2020 is still fresh in our minds. Scars of the protests can still be felt in various places. For instance, the nonpareil modern laboratory in Lagos that was destroyed then could not be replaced up till now. A laboratory that had nothing to do with what the protesters were venting their anger against. The destruction of the laboratory has meant that tests that could be routinely done in Lagos now have to be taken to the United States of America.”
