From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
As the organisers of the nationwide protests mobilise Nigerians to hit the streets over the hardships in the land, the exercise seemed to have lost steam in Enugu State as many key stakeholders, cutting across the youths, traditional rulers, Presidents-General of town unions, traders, among others, expected to drive the action have continued to opt out.
While they acknowledge their rights to protest in the face of the biting hardships in the land, they, however, fear that the protests could spiral out of hand, citing the ENDSARS experience when hoodlums hijacked the process to loot and destroy infrastructure and businesses in the state. They also cite the improving social infrastructure and workers welfare under the Governor Peter Mbah Administration.
First to wash their hands off the protests was the Enugu Innovative Youths, a group of young minds and professionals, progressives, that have made waves in the state in recent years. Addressing newsmen at the end of their meeting in Enugu last Friday, the youth group opted for dialogue instead, but tasked the Federal Government, on urgent and drastic measures to drastically reduce the unemployment rate and poverty head count index among the youths.
In a communique read by its Publicity Secretary, Jude Aniagu, the group stated, “While the proposed nationwide protest is justifiable, owing to the current state of affairs of our country, we call for a rethink and retreat from the proposed protest by our youths.
“Importantly, we call for peace and calmness in Enugu State. We strongly appeal that it is rather very premature in our state, which is currently experiencing a breath of fresh air in all sectors under the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah. Our future has never been this bright.
“Also, we were all witnesses to the mayhem visited on Enugu in October 2020 when the ENDSARS protest was hijacked by hoodlums, hence, we appeal to fellow youths of Enugu State to withdraw and distance themselves from what could result to such destruction of our common heritage a second time.
“Enugu State is our own and one of the most peaceful and productive states of the federation. We cannot relapse to a state of anarchy and a reversal of the infrastructural gains of the last 14 months, which the nationwide protest will plunge us into.
“We are aware that any protest in Enugu will destroy our common heritage which Governor Mbah is assiduously working to revive by his massive infrastructural projects.
“We do not equally want to lose the lives of our dear youths in such a protest, which hoodlums are planning to hijack by availing them the brazen opportunity to execute their sinister motives.”
In the same vein, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Enugu State chapter, rising from a town hall meeting in Enugu, pulled out of the proposed August 1 to 10 protests, saying it could result in chaos and loss of lives and property.
A communique adopted at the end of the marathon meeting that lasted nearly five hours and presented by the Chairman of the Enugu State Chapter of NANS, Comrade Prisca Okeke, reads in parts, “While we recognise the right to protest, we are also acutely aware of the potential for societal disruptions that can arise from protests that escalate into violence and unrest.
“The lessons from past civil strife like the EndSARS protest underscore the devastating consequences, including loss of lives, widespread displacement, economic decline, and the erosion of social cohesion.
“The student leaders in Enugu State are deeply empathetic to the prevalent hardship in Nigeria and the outcry of Nigerian citizens. However, in the interest of preserving peace and preventing a repeat of the ENDSARS experience, we advocate for alternative means of addressing these issues.
“We call on the FG to urgently address the widespread hardship by implementing policies that have a direct and positive impact on the lives of citizens. This includes measures to reduce inflation and make essential commodities more affordable.”
Also, the Enugu State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria distanced itself from the protests.
In a communique signed by over 50 youth oganisations in the state at the end of their emergency meeting in the state capital and read to newsmen by the Chairman of NYCN, Enugu State, Comrade Bartholomew Okoh, they said, “The youth of Enugu State, under the aegis of the NYCN, have chosen a path of dialogue and engagement with both the State and Federal Government, rather than participating in the national protest slated for August 1st to 10.
“This significant decision prioritises constructive conversations as a means to address the array of pressing issues that concern the youth and the broader community.
“While recognising and respecting the right to protest, the youths of Enugu firmly believe that dialogue is in the best interest of the State and Country at large. This approach will help to avoid the economic disruptions witnessed during the End SARS protests, which had far-reaching consequences.
“In light of the above, we strongly urge the FG to promptly address the following pressing issues, namely, security, job creation, affordable food prices, improvement in the quality of education and healthcare, reduction of fuel prices, youth involvement in governance, among other demands,” they stated.
A prominent youth leader, Edeani Edeani, who spoke with newsmen, said, “It is not as if the country is not right for protest. But we are also taking our local experience, especially during the ENDSARS protests into consideration.
“If it were a situation where people would come out, demonstrate peacefully for as many days as they want and go home as witnessed in other democratic climes, there would have been no worries. But the truth is that evil people seize the opportunity to destroy businesses and the few infrastructures we have.
“They will target the water infrastructures that the present government has turned around. They will target the International Conference Centre that was long abandoned since 2007, but which the present government is turning around. The criminal elements will target the security cameras being mounted all over the state to improve security.
“Look at how much the governor is investing in education, leading to the ongoing construction of 260 smart green schools, which the UN Country Coordinator for Nigeria has been singing about since he saw one of the completed and running smart schools at Owo where children are gaining skills in mechatronics, virtual reality, augmented reality, etc. This is what they would target to destroy.
“Look at what he is doing in the health sector where the government is constructing a whopping 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres in Enugu State with world class infrastructure. They will also target these projects and bring us to square one.”
On Monday, the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, after an emergency meeting in Enugu, not only said they would not protest, but also warned Ndigbo anywhere in Nigeria not to protest, as every protest, according to the group, was always an opportunity to target Ndigbo and their businesses in other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the fears of the youths, appear justified as the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Kanayo Uzuegbu, has raised the alarm over alleged sinister plot by “criminal elements to hijack the protest and unleash mayhem on innocent citizens, public and private property in the state.”
Speaking during a part of the meeting with traditional rulers and the Presidents-General of communities, at the House of Chiefs, Enugu, the Chairman of both the Enugu State and South East Traditional Rulers’ Council, HRM Igwe Samuel Asadu, thanked the CP for engaging the royal fathers, assuring that the traditional rulers would do everything possible to discourage their subjects from being part of the protest, given the uncertainties surrounding it.
Similarly, the religious, markets, transport, youth, and students’ leaders, who met with the Police Commissioner at the State Command Headquarters in Enugu, urged Enugu people to rethink the protest, fearing “it would be hijacked to perpetrate violence, destruction of lives, property, and looting.”
With the foregoing, it appears that the planned protests have lost steam in Enugu even before it starts.