Give Tinubu time… protest won’t produce miraculous results, says group

Nigeria First Project Initiative, a civil society organisation, has asked youths to refrain from participating in the planned nationwide protest.

There have been reports of a youth-led demonstration, billed to commence on August 1, over the pervasive economic hardship.

President Bola Tinubu has appealed to youths to shelve the protest and allow the government to address the economic challenges.

On Thursday, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said the military has “detected” plans by some “unscrupulous elements” to hijack the protest and perpetrate violence.

Addressing a press conference on Friday in Abuja, Hamza Saulawa, national coordinator of the Nigeria First Project Initiative, said Tinubu has only spent one year in office and needs time to fix the economy.

“The Nigerian youth should not revolt against their country. You should not disobey our learned ulama and religious leaders, revered monarchs and council of elders who have already spoken wisely against any street protest. Nigerians are cultured people,” Saulawa said.

“We, Nigerians, are religious people, we are known globally, as people of culture. Respecting religious, traditional and constituted authority is part and parcel of our rich culture.

“Thus, since nearly all our elders and leaders from their wisdom, and years of accumulated experience, have spoken, even begged us not to proceed with the street demonstration, even if it is within our constitutional rights, going against their exhortation is tantamount to desecration of our sacred values and customs.

“Nigerian youth should not mimic Kenyan protesters because the contexts in the two countries historically and contemporarily are not the same. Therefore, it is incorrect to expect a caricature intervention to work for us.

“In addition, let us manage our emotions intelligently. Let us listen to our elders, and act in accordance with their wise counsel, and indeed let us give the president the benefit of the doubt.

“The president has just clocked only one year in office. He has inherited a bleeding nation, a battered economy a magician cannot repair in one year. Even if the protest is done, it will not produce miraculous results.

“Nation building is a process. So we urge the youth to come to grips with this reality, and allow the leaders at various levels to work.”

The group urged youths to avoid taking “extreme measures that may undermine not only the dispensation but the country as a whole”.