By Ibidapo Olowolayemo, Ibadan
Monday August 5, 2024
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As #EndBadGovernance resumes across the country on Monday, the tempo of the civil actions got reduced drastically in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Also, reports from Ado-Ekiti and Osogbo, Ekiti and Osun states capitals, respectively, indicated that full normalcy returned, as businesses opened and commercial transporters operated without let.
In Ibadan, protesters gathered at the main gate of the University of Ibadan (UI), as early as 8:00 a.m., but they were fewer than 50 in number.
A couple of the leaders of the protesters, mainly students, while addressing journalists, said they merely converged to re-strategise on their modus operandi of the protest, going forward.
They maintained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s nationwide address of Sunday fell below their expectations.
One of them, Solomon Okelola, said: “The president spoke for himself and the ruling class. Against our key demands, there was no reversal of fuel subsidy removal and stoppage of corruption in the subsidy regime. There was nothing about funding of education and stopping insecurity.
“In their time, they enjoyed free education and not loans to students. What should obtain is grants to students. Even Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees free education for Nigerian students.
“Look, all these high cost of foods and other items and general cost of living will fizzle out, with the reversal of fuel subsidy removal. Right now, a litre of fuel is between N950 and N1,050.
“With that, transportation must increase prices of foods. We will continue to protest till Day 10. We are no longer after their words, but actions.
“Now, we are no longer divided; we have been united by hunger, unemployment, high cost of living and so on. They are calling for dialogue; is protest not part of dialogue? Reinstate subsidy and make it corruption free.
“As you can see, we are not vagabonds; we are peaceful protesters; it’s only if government, in their manner, introduce violence among us.”
Another leader of the group, who simply identified himself as Abiodun, Abbey Trostky, also spoke with journalists.
“If the president loves Nigerians, he wouldn’t wait for many people to die in a protest for three days before speaking out. In his speech, he jumped the issue of fuel subsidy return.
“All he said he had done in one year didn’t bring succour to the people; hence, the protest continues.
“Even in his speech, he was threatening us. He appeared to be emboldening security operatives to oppress and repress us. For example, in Lagos, they went and teargassed protesters who were worshipping at the weekend.
“Only last night, in Abuja, they arrested Adaramoye Michael, aka Lenin, just for protesting,” he said.
The youths later moved their procession towards Sango through Mokola towards Roundabout.
There have also been heavy presence of security operative at strategic places, including bank premises since Sunday till yesterday.
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