Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has expressed her support for the planned nationwide protest set to take place from August 1-10, 2024. She has called on both federal and state governments to address the situation with civility and empathy.
In a statement titled “My Position on the Nationwide Protest of our Young Citizens,” posted on X on Thursday, Ezekwesili underscored the severe economic hardships facing many Nigerians, particularly the youth.
“All reasonable people know that the majority of our citizens—especially the young ones—are distressed on many counts, from biting economic hardship that is prevalent in the country today. They blame it on bad governance and are therefore demanding an end to it,” she stated.
She criticized the responses from politicians, public officials, and their allies,l labelling them as undemocratic and lacking empathy.
Noting the agitation among government officials in response to the planned protests, she urged the Federal Government and its allies to refrain from threatening citizens exercising their constitutional rights to expression, association, and movement through peaceful protests.
Ezekwesili, a prominent advocate of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign, called on President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly, and state governors to engage with the protesting youth.
She emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety and support of protesters, advocating for the involvement of the police and Civil Defence Corps to facilitate peaceful demonstrations.
“Ensure that the protesters are protected and supported by the police and related agencies like the Civil Defence Corps to protest peacefully and orderly in presenting their demands and agitations to the authorities. Be guided by the terrible lessons of the mishandling of the #EndSARS protests,” she advised.
Ezekwesili also urged the government to respond with a clear plan for good governance to address the issues raised by the protesters. She highlighted the need for politicians and public officials to listen and learn from their citizens during this critical time.
“I hope that our politicians and public officials will heed counsel and allow themselves the humility of listening and learning from their citizens at a time like this,” she added.
