By Olusegun Obisanya
A faith-based non-governmental organization (NGO), Centre for Righteous Living (CRIL) has called on governments at all levels in Nigeria to act fast to avoid national calamity. The group reasoned that there could be calamity of national magnitude if the proposed call for a national protest between August 1 and 10, 2024 is not nipped in the bud.
A group under the auspices of End Bad Government in Nigeria has been calling for a national protest between August 1 and 10, 2024, calling on the government to end anti-people policies, over taxing and electoral fraud, making some demands to drive home their requests.
Coming out of their monthly meeting, members and leaders of CRIL led by Rev. Solomon Adegbolagun has appealed to the prospective protesters to have more patience and wait for a little time.
They noted that though there is hunger in the land, it was unlikely that the current hunger and lack of food in the land might soon come to an end if the current efforts being made by the federal government could yield its desired results.
According to the group in a statement, the situation may go worse if there should be national protest.
“We therefore call on the people to refrain from holding a national protest and should not compare Nigeria with Kenya, noting that the level of destruction witnessed in Kenya’s protest would do Nigeria no good. We therefore wish to call on governments at all levels to act fast to avoid national calamity. For now the protest may be needless.
“We also wish to call on all Nigerians to take seriously the campaign for Operation Feed Yourself by embarking on farming starting from subsistence level. Let the youths join the go to farm campaign. We also want to call on the governments at all levels to support this move by giving agricultural implements to the youth who wish to go into farming.
“We believe that every region has the resources to feed itself and we want each region to look inward and provide food for its people to avert hunger. We also call on the government to see the need to make food available to all living in Nigeria, and we can achieve this by encouraging some government agencies like the National Youth Service Corps, Police and the military to embark on farming to feed themselves, and the government should work harder to stop the menace of the bandits that discourage farmers to work on their farms'” the statement read.
They called on the government to look into the demands of the prospective protesters and make positive responses to their genuine demands which could move Nigeria forward before it is too late.
It added, “We are calling on the government to look into their expenses and see what they can cut down. The National Assembly should cut down their excessive allowances. It is an act of wickedness to be living in excessive luxury when majority of Nigerians are wallowing in abject poverty. They should reduce their extravagant and flamboyant life styles and unbridled taste for exotic cars.
“We also want to call on the government to stay alert to protect national structures and properties and do whatever they can do within their capacity to nip the protest in the bud and to dissuade those planning it. The protesters should not allow themselves to be used by politicians to disorganize the nation.”
