Say #endSARS protest was a blessing for young Nigerians
A coalition of youth groups under the aegis of Governor Yahaya Bello to President Yahaya Bello (GYB2PYB), says Governor Yahaya Bello is the choice of Nigerian youths
The group also said #endSARS protest has become the turning point for young men and women, who have become fed up by the highhandedness, the unbridled and reckless abuse of state power against citizens.
Director-General of the group Amb. Oladele John Nihi, a prominent youth activist, and former president National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) stated this on Wednesday in Abuja, at a news conference.
“Our struggle for a better Nigeria since our independence as a country has given us the impetus as young men and women to look forward to a better society.
“The #EndSARS protests, which began with a focus on police brutality, extended to other dimensions of corruption, human rights violations, and underdevelopment in Nigeria.
“Not necessarily seeking to topple the government, the #EndSARS protests sought to make Nigerian citizenship mean something tangible and worthwhile for young people.
`We recall vividly, Oct. 20, 2020, which will forever be known as a Black Tuesday in our country.
“The movement featured dramatic outpouring of young people, who had been written off by establishment politicians as disaffected or lazy. The protests against police brutality that crystallised in 2020, insist that new and just societies, in which young people can imagine meaningful futures are still possible,’’ Nihi said.
He said against this backdrop, Nigerians would continue to resist the negation of their basic humanity because, in spite of a system that had been unresponsive to the needs of its citizens, the women and youth would keep speaking up.
“The #EndSARS movement made savvy use of the social media and did not focus on long-term ambitions of gaining political power, but rather made sure that the authorities stick to their promises of reforms and justice.
“Those in power are clearly worried that our country’s huge young population can no longer be ignored or cajoled.
“Our women and the young population are getting better organised as evidenced by the rallied support for the protests which shook the foundations of Nigeria.
“The fact that these women and young people regrouped makes our politicians and the elite jittery, and clearly indicates that our system needs to work for all and not for a privileged few,’’ Nihi said.
He maintained that the #EndSars protest had shown that Nigeria’s political landscape had changed forever because the women and youths had now realised how powerful they were and what they could achieve when they unite for a common goal.
The youth leader, therefore, said that come 2023, the youths were prepared to return the affairs of the country to the young population of qualified Nigerians such as Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi.
“Our slogan would be “Youth O’clock”, meaning returning our affairs to ourselves, which is the only way we can record youth participation in politics.”.
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