Sunday Dare: Planned nationwide protest problematic — Tinubu’s reforms on track

Sunday Dare, former minister of sports and youth development, has cautioned Nigerian youths against hitting the streets to protest the pervasive economic hardship. 

The protest will reportedly hold from August 1 to 15. 

In an X chat with youths on Sunday, the ex-minister said some persons are still living with the scars of the 2020 #EndSARS protest.

He advised that protesters should not hit the streets without an identifiable leadership capable of negotiating terms with government.

Dare said without organisation, the protest may be hijacked by unscrupulous people with sinister objectives.

“We must see that there is a conflicting agenda for the planned nationwide anti-government protest, and that’s problematic. The right to protest exists, but you can’t just erase the experience of #Endsars,” he said.

“There are people who still live with the scars. We had casualties in the police force, among civilians, students, and youth, and also several public and private facilities were burnt down. 

“We must learn from recent history, and that is why we are saying, look, there are better ways of getting things done.

“Nobody is trying to deprive anybody of a right to protest, but also, we must see the conflicting agenda for the planned nationwide anti-government protest, and that’s problematic. 

“When you have a protest that has no identifiable leaders, then the possibility of it turning into mob action is almost 99%.

“But when you have a protest that is planned with identifiable leaders, then you have a movement, and when you have a movement, you engage, negotiate, set timelines, and see the difficulties of the other party.”

Dare added that the economic reforms of the President Bola Tinubu administration will soon bear fruit.

“Because at the end of it all, we will still end up on the table to have a crucial conversation. Such crucial conversation cannot take place on the street,” he said. 

“Even if the protest is peaceful, you don’t negotiate on the street. The reforms by President Tinubu’s government are on track.”