Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILoT has dissociated the Itsekiri nation from the proposed mass protest billed to commence from August 1st.
In a statement signed by the Chairman Chief Edward Ekpoko and the Secretary Sir Sunny Mene of the apex Itsekiri platform, ILoT also urged the government at all levels in the country to take steps to redress challenges arising from hardship plaguing the country. The statement reads: ” The Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILoT), a socio-political organization of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality worldwide held an emergency meeting on Sunday, 28th day of July 2024, at Warri, Delta State on the state of the nation, particularly the intended Nation-wide protest scheduled to begin on 1st August 2024.
“The leadership noted that The current economic hardship faced by Nigerians, especially our teeming and un-employed youths is worrisome and of concern to all. Our thoughts are with them. Government at all levels should do more to ameliorate this hardship. Peaceful protest as a means of expressing grievances is guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution and other international statutes to which Nigeria is a signatory.
The planned nationwide protest is devoid of any clear agenda, and demands (if met) can only lead to a state of anarchy. The organizers of the protest, who are mainly living in the diaspora, whose identities are not clear for now or kept secret and some politicians, make it worrisome. It also makes the whole exercise look like it is predetermined to effect the turbulence of a mob and therefore stand the risk of being hijacked by hoodlums as in the case of the now infamous END SARS PROTEST of October 2020. We are yet to recover from the effect of that protest.
The Arab Spring in North Africa which started on 17th December 2010, after a series of anti-government protests, hijacked by hoodlums, left almost the entire region without a stable government to date. This has resulted in huge illegal migration to Europe and other parts of the world at great danger to human lives. We do not wish that for Nigeria and Nigerians.
We note the efforts of the Federal Government to ameliorate the harsh condition Nigerians are facing and ask that the government be given time to carry out its reform programmes. All tiers of government states and local governments, should do more.
The Itsekiri Leaders of Thought disassociates itself and indeed the entire Itsekiri people worldwide from the proposed nationwide protest scheduled to begin on August 1, 2024, or any other date for the time being. We call on all Itsekiri sons and daughters, especially our youths not to participate in the said protest. A protest of this nature is an ill wind that will do no one any good.”
