The people of Nigeria are prepared to continue the protest until President Bola Ahmed Tinubu acquiesces to the demand of the Nigerian people, who are essentially dehumanised by the policies of the government, according to former Minister of Sports, Hon. Solomon Dalung.
Dalung made this appeal on Friday, August 2, 2024, while addressing a sizable crowd of protesters at the Old Airport Junction, in Jos, the capital of the Plateau State.
According to Dalung, the president’s silence on the matter is fueling the protests and creating more tension.
“If President Tinubu wants the protests to stop, he must come out and address Nigerians ,” Dalung said.
The former minister emphasized that the protesters are not just asking for good governance but also seeking accountability and transparency from the government.
“Nigerians want to know what is happening to their country and how their resources are being utilized,” he added.
Dalung encouraged protesters to uphold the law and praised them for their nonviolent behaviour.
Protesters in Jos have been calling for the abolition of corruption, economic reforms, and good government.
Additionally, they have demanded that the government deal with the nation’s high rates of inequality, poverty, and unemployment.
Concerns over how the protests would affect the economy and social stability are growing as they spread across the country.
Many are urging the government to act right now to resolve the protesters’ complaints.
It remains to be seen if President Tinubu will respond to Dalung’s request for him to address the nation, which is perceived as an attempt to defuse the situation and find a long-term solution.
In the meantime, the current protests in Nigeria have been characterised as a nonviolent way for the people to voice their complaints, according to Sam Ode, Program Manager of the International Organisation for Peace and Social Justice (PSJ).
Ode claims that the demonstrators are making it very evident to the government that they are dissatisfied with the status quo and are calling for change.
“As much as the youth are hungry, they are peaceful, dancing, and showing the government that they are placing their demands,” Ode said, praising the demonstrators for their nonviolent behaviour.
He stressed that rather than squandering money and infringing on the protestors’ rights, the government should pay attention to the demonstrators and deal with the underlying cause of the problem.
Ode vowed to keep Nigerians in the streets until their voices were heard if the president did not respond to the demonstrators’ requests.
He declared, “Nigerians have the ability to stay on the streets until the right thing is done if the president does not appear to address the people who have hired him.”
