Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has appealed to Nigerian youths to engage the government in a constructive manner to find long-term answers to the nation’s challenges rather than participating in protests that would endanger the country.
Abiodun made the appeal on Wednesday while receiving members of the coalition of youth organisations in the state.
The governor explained that protests might only make problems worse rather than necessarily finding solutions, recalling the loss of lives and property brought on by the nationwide EndSARS demonstrations in 2020.
He said: “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 can not 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 countries across the world, was going through a difficult time, hence the need for the youths to bring in their vibrancy, zeal, ingenuity, and technical know-how to solve the problems.
Abiodun noted that the meeting was to rob minds over the current realities in the country as it affects the youths in the State, calling on them to remain focused and not pay attention to distractions that could jeopardize their future.
The governor disclosed that he had signed an executive order to split the Ministry of Youths and Sports into the Ministries of Sports Development and Youths Development to create an avenue for the proper development of the youth constituency and Sports in the state.
He assured the youths that the Ministry of Youths Development would soon get its own commissioner, who he said would be young, brilliant, and vibrant.
Speaking earlier, Kolawole Soremi, State Chairman of the National Youth Council, advocated a regular dialogue between youth and government to resolve issues that may cause misunderstandings
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