Fayemi: In my younger years, I was an #EndSARS protester who knew when to stop and negotiate

Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti state, says when he was a young activist demanding good governance, he knew when to stop and negotiate with the government to achieve desired results.

Speaking at a virtual symposium organised by the Harvard Kenny School Alumni Association of Nigeria, on Friday, the governor said as a responsible government, the reasonable demands of the youths such as good education and human rights protection should be attended to as it is their right, not a privilege.

He, however, said the youth must do away with the sense of entitlement and be ready to fight for what they want.

He said when demanding good governance, the youths should know when to retreat and negotiate and avoid brigandage approach when making their demands.

“We do owe them a duty to begin to respond to those reasonable demands that they make for a good education which is a right not a privilege, for accountable governance, for human rights protection and I think this is something that the government must respond to,” Fayemi said.

“They are the larger part of the population but they need to really rid themselves of a sense of entitlement because nobody gives you these things freely, you have to fight for it and I am glad that they are beginning to fight for it.

“Ultimately, when they start knocking on that door, and they break the door open, they will be allowed in. But in breaking it open, they can do it by stealth rather than by brigandage.

“Some of us have spent our time at the barricade. In the better time of my younger days, I was also a #EndSARS protester of sorts as you know. But I knew when to stop and when to start negotiating with those in power and authority and ultimately, we made some progress.”

Fayemi was a member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) which was on the frontline of the battle against the military over the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election.