By Muhammed Shaeed
August 23rd, 2024
Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, has charged President Bola Tinubu to map out ways to dialogue with the unarmed protesters.
Cardinal Onaiyekan spoke on this issue in Abuja yesterday.
He said: “It is not unarmed protesters who are the cause of our problems. Our president told us he is ready to dialogue with all those who are unhappy, but he needs to take the initiative now.
“Is this how to ask for dialogue? There is a need to completely change our attitude. The people (protesters) were just ordinary young people who were hungry.
“The only way to show that you feel our pain is to do things that will relieve the suffering and pain of the people. That is what the government is there for.
“When we talk about youth nowadays, we are not talking about small boys or girls; we are talking about people who are 35 and below. Most of them have graduated, and most of them have skills.”
It’s recalled that protesters under the umbrella of EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, took over the streets early this month to display their grievances towards the pervasive hunger and hardship in the country. The protest lasted for 10 days.