The Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, King Obukowho Udurhie I, has appealed to Nigerians to shelve the planned nationwide protest in the interest of the nation.
He also called on President Bola Tinubu to address the concerns raised by the nation’s youths.
“We cannot afford another #ENDSARS unrest now, considering the current state of our nation,” the monarch said in statement titled “Nationwide Hunger Protest: My appeal to Nigerian youths”, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri, Delta State on Sunday.
The monarch noted with concern that the hunger in the land and growing insecurity across regions should bother Nigeria, stressing the need for constructive means rather than resorting to protests.
He, however, stated that he was worried that a mass protest at this critical time will not do the nation any good, rather than lead to further national disorder.
He called for dialogue as a means of resolving the crisis in the land, stressing that “our collective decision to work for sustainable peace by addressing growing insecurities should be our top national discourse”.
The statement partly reads, “Anything that will further divide the country should be discouraged by the government, which should work out modalities to address the critical hunger in our land. Mass protests cannot and should not be provoked as an option to address the needs of the masses.
“Peace and dialogue remain the win-win choice over mass protests that can easily be hijacked by the depraved. Let peace and unity reign supreme in our dear land.
“I plead with Mr. President and Nigerians to address the core issues of hunger and the deep disconnect that exists between ordinary Nigerians and the ruling class.
“As a revered traditional ruler in this country, I know it is a constitutional right of every Nigerian, as enshrined in our constitution, to protest. I also know there is hunger, insecurity, and unemployment. But as a veteran journalist and media manager with over three decades of experience, the signals out there clearly indicate that another nationwide protest will plunge this nation into more economic mess and insecurity.”
He appealed to youths to shelve the planned protest in the interest of the nation while also calling on the President to address the concerns raised by the youth.
“I plead with Mr. President and Nigerians to address the core issues of hunger and the deep disconnect that exists between ordinary Nigerians and the ruling class.
“We cannot afford another #ENDSARS unrest now, considering the current state of our nation. Our collective decision to work for sustainable peace by addressing growing insecurities should be our top national discourse.
“As a royal father who has been at the forefront of advocating for the creation of jobs, the establishment of companies, revamping the agricultural sector, and the building of a prosperous nation, amongst others, for our Nigerian youths, I know your demands are germane and are a true reflection of the current economic reality in the country,” he urged.
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