Hon.Osawemwenhio Uwagboe, Chairman of Conference of State Youth Parliament Speakers of Nigeria (CSYPS)
By Joan Nwagwu
The Conference of State Youth Parliament Speakers of Nigeria (CSYPS), has appealed to Nigerian youths, to rescind the decision to protest over the issue of hardship.
Mr Osawemwenhio Uwagboe, Chairman of the group, made the appeal in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
It would be recalled that some Nigerian youths have scheduled a nationwide protest from Aug. 1 to Aug. 10 over issue of economic hardship in the country.
Uwagboe said that it was imperative they recant from the protest, as it was unlikely to yield any productive outcomes.
“I stand with you my fellow Nigerians in these trying times, as we are all facing unprecedented hardships, and the desire for change is powerful and understandable.
“The protests, however, are unlikely to yield any productive outcomes and may only complicate matters further.
“Rather than taking to the streets, which can sometimes lead to unintended violence and destruction, I urge you to explore alternative ways to make our voices heard.
“I urge you to consider that protests may not be the best approach at this time as President Bola Tinubu is working diligently to address the issues facing our nation,” he said.
Uwagboe noted that Mr President had recently launched the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), a significant step of the administration’s commitment to inclusiveness and ensuring sufficient funding to sustain educational initiatives.
He said President Tinubu had also emphasised that democracy was all about inclusiveness highlighting his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He added that Mr President was setting up a foundation and long-term policies that would shape the country for the better.
” Given the faulty foundation that Nigeria has endured, it is crucial to recognise the importance of these foundational steps.
“A president who has granted Local Government autonomy is not our enemy; rather, he is working towards empowering our communities and strengthening our democracy.
“While we cannot deny the hardship we are experiencing, I ask that we place our trust in the presidency and believe that things will improve.
“Our voices are powerful, and there are many ways we can use them constructively without resorting to protests, which can often lead to unintended violence and destruction,” he said.
Uwagboe, therefore, called on the youths to organise and participate in advocacy campaigns that highlight specific issues, events for their progress.
He also urged the youths to utilise social media, petitions, and public forums to garner attention and support for the causes.These methods,according to him, were powerful and effective without the risk of descending into chaos.
“I plead with you to try other means before resorting to protests. We are all in this together, and the risk of protests being hijacked by those with malicious intent is too high.
“We could end up destroying the very country we are trying to build. Most importantly, we do not want to lose our youths to violent protests. Their safety and future are paramount, and violence only undermines the cause we seek to advance.
“If President Tinubu does not attend to our issues, we have the power to express our discontent through our votes in 2027. Our democracy allows us to hold our leaders accountable, and we must use this power wisely.
“Let us stand united and encourage the presidency to do more and do much better.
We can achieve the change we seek through patience, dialogue, and constructive engagement.
“Our collective strength lies not in tearing down but in building up, not in division but in unity,” he said.