Group urges Oyo youths to shun nationwide protest

A socio-political group, Ojo Ola Oyo, has appealed to youths in Oyo State not to participate in the planned protest scheduled to hold in August.

The Non-Governmental Organisation, on Tuesday, made its position known in a statement signed by its founder, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the state capital.

The group reminded youths in the state to take cognisance of the verifiable moves the Bola Tinubu-led administration had made to secure the future of youths in the nation.

“If the youth cannot see all those moves, at least, they are aware of the students’ loan scheme of the current administration. This scheme, which gives loans at no interest, doesn’t only cover theoretical academic pursuits, but also the area of vocational training.

“Any government that takes away the burden of education financing, we must understand, prioritises the future of the nation.

“Dear youths in Oyo state, we at Ojo Ola Oyo can assure you that your future is secured under this government. You also can see how the government has been clearing the rot in the nation’s social security programme and ensuring that what is meant to assist the most vulnerable among us, this time, gets to the right people.

“While it is the inalienable right of citizens to hold peaceful protests, we must know that usually, fifth columnists would wait in the wings to hijack such protests and throw the society into more damning chaos,” the group urged.

The group appealed to youths that rather than risk a protest that might end up with everyone licking wounds, efforts should be geared towards a platform to engage the government in discussions that would open its eyes to more areas of needs.

“Nigeria is the only place we can truly call our own. Those elements who would spur us to actions that would destroy our common patrimony have the means of bolting when the chips are down; most of us do not have,” Olaosebikan said.

The founder, a former local government chairman in the state, concluded by stating that the NGO was working with other partners to see how the youths in Oyo state would be getting abreast of information of the current government policies targeted at the youth, but which many were unaware of