By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Youths of Anambra State have been advised to thread with caution in the heave of the proposed nationwide protest, to avoid falling victim to any danger that may result from the demonstration.
The Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Youth Empowerment Programme, Dr. Nelson Omenugha gave the advice in an interview with this reporter regarding his stance on the much-talked-about demonstration.
It is no longer news that many Nigerians have proposed to storm the streets on August 1 in expression of their discontent and grievances over the high level of suffering and high cost of living in the country.
The protest, which has been hashtagged under different sobriquets, such as #HungerProtest, and #EndBadGovernment, among others, is proposed to be held in different parts of the country, and has not only begun generating waves in different parts of the country but has also sparked off a chain of reactions and counter-reactions, with many expressing diverse opinions about it.
Baring his mind on the protest, Dr. Omenugha, said the youths and, in fact, Ndị Anambra should thread with caution and avoid risking their lives in the name of protest.
According to him, there is good governance in Anambra State, as the current administration of Governor Soludo has positively impacted every sector of the state, which, he said, makes the protest unwarranted in the state.
Speaking further, Dr. Omenugha said many Anambra youths have been empowered to become self-reliant through various programs and initiatives specially designed for them by the Soludo Administration.
He also highlighted the various achievements of the Governor in other sectors, with special reference to infrastructure, free education, free antenatal, and the ongoing agricultural revolution in the state, among others, which, he said, are all targeted at further boosting the standard of living and reducing the cost of living in the state. He further added that people of almost all age brackets in the state benefit from all these in one way or the other, whether in the long or the short run.
He, therefore, wondered why Ndị Anambra should join the said protest in the state, considering the numerous efforts and the impacts of the Soludo-led Administration enhancing the well-being of the masses.
Citing the #EndSARS Protest in the country he also speculated that the protest may end up turning violent and serving as a means for hoodlums to perpetrate evil, thereby sabotaging the whole efforts of the government to further alleviate suffering and make lives better and more meaningful for the people of the state.
Dr. Omenugha, who himself is a youth mobilizer and former UNIZIK Students Union Government President, acknowledged that people have the right to protest, as the country is in democracy; but, however, said his concern is the unintended consequences that may result from the protest.
“No protest has ever ended well. Take for example the #EndSARS protest I mentioned earlier; you saw it started and how it ended. That’s why I am emphasizing this. A lot of people who may come out innocently to protest may find themselves in a situation they never intended,” he said.
He further called on parents to “keep an eye” on their children to ensure that they are safe this time and don’t engage in anything capable of ruining or putting their lives at risk, all in the name of protest.
“No person’s life is worth sacrificing for others to live. Christ has already paid that prize. So, let nobody try to risk or lay down his life for nothing,” he said.
While reminding the people that life will still continue even after anyone’s death, Dr. Omenugha, who noted that even the organizers of the EndBadGovernment protest are faceless, further hinted that protest cannot even end bad governance, adding that there are many other non-risky ways to draw government’s attention to people’s grievances and get an immediate and more effective response, other than through protest.
He further reminded the intending protesters that they could effectively end bad governance with their voters card by massively voting out any government they want, rather than exposing themselves to something that can cut short their lives and still not be achieved.
“So, why risk your life then, even when you know that life will still continue even after anyone dies during the protest? Even in Anambra, there is no reason for such protest at all, because the evidence of the Soludo Government’s efforts and impacts are there. So, in essence, I advise that no one should risk their lives protesting. No one’s life is worth sacrificing! Thank you!” Dr. Omenugha concluded.
