A prominent group of young people, the Enugu Innovative Youths, has called for calm and the suspension of the proposed national protest set to begin on Thursday, August 1.
The youths expressed their position in a communiqué issued following their meeting in the Enugu State capital over the weekend.
Presenting the communiqué, the group’s chairman, Collins Nonso, stated, “Nigeria is currently facing serious challenges due to rising hunger and financial downturns caused by the removal of fuel subsidies, alongside the escalating cost of food and the depreciation of the naira.
“The Nigerian youths, presumed to be the leaders of tomorrow, find themselves in a state of helplessness and despondency, as their once-bright future now seems uncertain.
“However, while the proposed nationwide protest is justifiable given the current state of affairs in our country, we urge our youths to reconsider and retreat from this protest.
“It is crucial that we advocate for peace and calm in Enugu State. We strongly believe it is premature to proceed with this protest in our state, which is currently experiencing significant progress under the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah. Our future has never looked brighter.”
The group expressed serious concerns regarding a potential repeat of the 2020 ENDSARS protests, when hoodlums exploited an otherwise peaceful demonstration to wreak havoc in the state.
“We all witnessed the chaos inflicted on Enugu in October 2020 when the ENDSARS protest was hijacked by hoodlums. Hence, we appeal to our fellow youths of Enugu State to withdraw and distance ourselves from any actions that could lead to the destruction of our common heritage once again.
“Enugu State is ours and is one of the most peaceful and productive states in the federation. We cannot afford to regress into anarchy and reverse the infrastructural gains made over the last 14 months, which a nationwide protest could jeopardize.
“We understand that any protest in Enugu would undermine our shared heritage, which Governor Mbah is diligently working to revitalize through extensive infrastructural projects.
“Enugu youths must, therefore, resist any attempts to destroy or deface the beauty and culture of Enugu that Governor Mbah’s administration is restoring to the Coal City,” the youths added.
They also voiced deep concerns for the safety of the youth, many of whom could face life-threatening dangers similar to those experienced during the ENDSARS protest.
“We do not want to see our dear youths lose their lives in a protest that could be hijacked by hoodlums, who might exploit the situation to execute their sinister motives and launch attacks on the peaceful youths of the state.
“We are also aware that the Enugu State Government has plans for job creation for the youth through strategic programs and training in technology and entrepreneurship development, among others. We must prioritize our lives and become beneficiaries of this promising vision, rather than sacrificing ourselves for a protest,” the group stated.
They called on both the federal and Enugu State governments to engage the youth in meaningful dialogue to find effective ways to drastically reduce unemployment and poverty rates among them.
