By Ogemdi Ozoemenam, Awka
Nigerians participating in the ongoing nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest have been asked to refrain from the reactive pose of protesting and assume the response stance of engaging constructively with the government.
The acting National Youth Leader of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu gave the advice while speaking with newsmen in Awka on the ongoing protests.
Recall that on Sunday, President Bola Tinubu had in a broadcast, appealed to the protesters to shelve the protest, saying his government was already taking initiatives to address their demands, while assuring that he remains open to dialogue.
However, the protests have continued since Monday.
According to Mazi Okpalaezeukwu, while the protest is as a result of the effects of accumulated maladministration in the country, there must come a time, when the people must restrategize and forge a more progressive course towards securing their demands.
Okpalaezeukwu noted that the people must not heap all the blame on the Federal Government alone, insisting that the state governors must be held to account too.
“After the Civil War, Ndigbo were made the promise of the three ‘R’ which were anticipated to help put the Civil War behind all of us.
“However, that promise was not fulfilled but the Igbos, having reacted through the war, decided to respond with their talents and capacity.
“Today, the Southeast region and her people are known for their commerce, industry and enterprise, because the people chose to be more responsive than reactive.
“The protest today is in reaction to the effects of the accumulated maladministration in Nigeria.
“Food insecurity was begotten by insecurity. For years now, our farmers do not go to farm, they do not produce food as usual and it is reflecting in the widespread hunger.
“But I am expecting Nigerians, especially the youths, having reacted through protests for these past days, and the president has come out to address the country, to now converge from reaction to response.
“Let us respond to our challenges and proffer solutions.
“Imagine the teeming youths that came out for this protest, being channeled to Agriculture and what can be achieved, just like what Governor Umaru Bago is doing in Niger State. It will turn things around, producing more food and addressing the challenge of food insecurity.
“Also, when we all come to blame the Federal Government while nobody is giving attention to the State and Local Governments, then we are not being fair.
“Government in Nigeria has three tiers and we must hold them to account across the tiers. That is why we commend the Federal Government and the State Governors for the LG autonomy which will go a long way to address so many issues ta the grassroots,” he said.
On the issues of gunmen and non-state actors ravaging the Southeast region, the Ohaneze youth leader, noted that the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization has not been complacent about the issue.
He noted that the organization has made several efforts to appeal to the people to sheathe their swords and toe a more progressive path towards finding solution to the injustices and marginalization they face.
“Ohaneze is not quiet over the issue of gunmen and incessant sit-at-home in the Southeast.
“Through our leader, late Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu of the blessed memory, Ndigbo responded effectively to that challenge in various ways.
“Indeed, it was as a result of how the region was treated over the years that encouraged youths to join the IPOB, in line with the right to association.
“Remember, that this sit-at-home came as a protest against the unjust detention of the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“However, this is a reactive measure by the IPOB, because the Ohaneze Ndigbo under the late Chief Iwuanyanwu was responding to the issues of marginalization, exclusion and hunger in the region, through the introduction of numerous projects.
“The Ohaneze Ndigbo youths have worked so hard to sensitize our youths and engage our people on the need to reverse the sit-at-home as a measure of protesting because there are so many alternative ways of protesting against the injustices against our people. Fortunately, it is yielding amazing results.
“Today, sit-at-home is not as serious as it used to be because it is obviously counter-productive to our security, our economy and our wellbeing,” Okpalaezeukwu noted.
