Give Tinubu’s reforms chance to bear fruit, group begs protesters

Add as a preferred source

A civil rights group, the Liberty Movement of Nigeria (LMN), has urged Nigerians to be patient with the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over planned nationwide protests scheduled for August 1–10, 2024, against prevailing economic hardships.

The convener of the group, Olusola Ajayi Edward, made the call in a release issued on Monday in Lagos, saying that unforeseen circumstances and fifth columnists might deliberately push the planned peaceful protest in the path of violence and defeat its noble intentions.

Edward canvassed dialogue as the best option to avoid breakdowns of peace, law, and order, noting that at the end of any war, people would still sit around the table for discussions to end hostilities.

“Dialogue is often the best way out of social discontent. At the end of any war, people will still sit around the table for discussions to end hostilities. So why not avoid the war and initiate discussions to prevent a breakdown of peace, law, and order? Jaw-jaw is always better than war-war,” he said.

Edward noted that the diplomatic way President Tinubu personally mediated to peacefully end the minimum wage crisis with organised labour showcased him as a leader who did not take Nigerians for granted, saying that he deserved recognition for taking decisive steps to steer Nigeria away from the socio-economic self-destruction in which previous regimes had catapulted it.

He assured that the fruits of Tinubu’s bold economic and political reforms would begin to show with time, saying that Nigerians would sooner than later give him the praise he deserved.

LMN Convener appealed to the organisers of the protest to shield their swords, join the government to build a stronger nation and propel Nigeria into the superpower that it was destined to be as the largest black nation in the world.

“The English would tell you that things will get worse before they get better. The fruits of President Tinubu’s bold economic and political reforms will begin to show with time, which we are confident of. And we will sooner than later give him the praise he deserves: The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.

“We appeal to the organisers of the protest to shield their sword, join the government to build a stronger nation, and propel Nigeria into the superpower that it is destined to be as the largest black nation in the world,” he said.

According to Edward, the lessons of the 2020 #EndSARS protests were still fresh, saying that no one should be in a hurry to repeat the nightmare of those days so soon.

Speaking further, Edward commended the president for the successful fight initiated at the Supreme Court to grant autonomy to the nation’s 774 local governments, saying that this would bring development and the dividends of democracy closer to Nigerian citizens.

However, he said that the reality was that life was hard in Nigeria. Edward, adding, “You cannot beat a child and expect him not to cry; Nigerians are suffering.”

He further charged that the government, as the parent and guardian, must look for ways to ameliorate the suffering.

“Food is costly. Fuel is costly. Electricity is costly. School fees in tertiary institutions have risen to an all-time high. All these need urgent attention.

“For citizens to demand that the government pay urgent attention to these areas does not amount to breaking any law. But we must be responsible in our approach to tackling national issues so that our good intentions do not become a double-edged sword that will leave sorrow, tears, and blood,” Edward stated.

ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE