FUNAAB deputy vice chancellor warns against violent protest

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development, of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, Kolowole Adebayo, has cautioned Nigerians to avoid the destruction of infrastructure while expressing their grievances to the federal government.

Adebayo stated that when lives, government infrastructures and properties are destroyed, it becomes a riot, not a protest.

He spoke on Friday during the burial ceremony of Titus Odedina, father of former Ogun Commissioner of Agriculture, Samson Odedina.

Adebayo said: “If a protest means to tell your leaders that you are not happy, please provide something for us, then a protest is okay. But when it comes to damaging community infrastructure and burning down houses, that’s no longer a protest, that’s a riot. So let us define what we want to do: are we protesting or are we going to riot?

“If you go on a riot, the laws of the land are there to deal with you; if you have something to protest you can protest but don’t damage our collective property. If you burn a hospital because you are hungry, then when you are sick, where would you go?”

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He asserted that while Nigerians have been blessed by God, all should embrace the culture of providing for themselves through agriculture.

“God has blessed us with everything we need. There is soil, rain and even our energy; it is left for us to decide whether we want to use it for food or other things. Someone hungry cannot stay on the internet, so let us all farm, however small, in our backyards; that would change the dynamic of the food system.

“We all need to use our extra time productively as a form of recreation that also gives us food on our table,” he said.

In his remarks, former commissioner Samson Odedina described his late father as a man of peace who would be greatly missed by all.

“He is a great family man, a man of peace; he’s a global role model for a peaceful marriage. We learn everything from him: music, humour, entrepreneurship and family unity. We’ll greatly miss him,” he said.