Don’t set Nigeria ablaze, FG urges youths

AbdulRazaq, Fagbemi seek patience with Tinubu

Minister of State for Youth development, Olawande Ayodele, has urged Nigerian youths not to allow contents they see on social media push them into setting the country ablaze. He made the appeal when the Renewed Hope Ambassadors of Nigeria, led by veteran Nollywood actor, Zack Orji, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

According to the minister, most of the contents on social media are lies being peddled by politicians to give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration a bad name.

He said: “We are pleading, we are begging, we are appealing to everybody that we are sure that this country is in a safe hand, we should not allow political people to tell us things that are not correct, we should make sure that this five applications that we are using – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and everything – are not tools to destabilise the country.

“I also want the traders to know that if this thing happens, it will first get to them before anybody, because we don’t want people to use this avenue to disrupt the government and the citizens of this country. Yes, you have the right to protest, you have the right to say things that are different, but we are saying that it is time to do research and talk to ourselves and know where these things are affecting us and have a roundtable with the government, because this is a listening government,” he appealed.

Ayodele implored Nigerians to rethink their decision and shelve plans to embark on a nationwide protest, assuring youths that the President means well for the country.

Speaking earlier, Orji, who noted that the planned protest is directionless. warned that it might lead to widespread unrest and instability, deterring investments and stifling economic growth in various sectors, including disruption of production and events, as well as impacting the livelihoods of many. He disclosed that the group had launched the Jagaban Will Fix It Nigeria Project as part of their contribution to nation building.

The initiative, the thespian explained, is to address concerns through an upcoming town hall meeting for open dialogue, and by launching capacity-building initiatives to engage young people and informal sectors in rural areas.

SIMILARLY, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) have appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the President Bola Tinubu administration, as it continues to roll out programmes to ease things and improve the living standards of the people.

The duo spoke at the weekend in Ijagbo, Oyun council area of the state during the one-year coronation of the Onijagbo of Ijagbo Land, Oba Sarafadeen Adeniyi Babalola and launch of Ijagbo Palace Development Fund. AbdulRazaq said the President assumed office amid a mounting economic downturn that required systemic reforms and understanding of the people.

“President Tinubu is gradually fixing things. So he needs our patience and support to get things done,” he said. AbdulRazaq commended the monarch for promoting peace and unity, as well as supporting the government to succeed.

Fagbemi, on his part, said the Federal Government was doing its best to salvage the prevailing economic situation in the country, urging the people to shelve the planned protests for a better future.

The monarch, in his remarks, lauded the governor for his support for the community, and solicited more, especially in the area of road infrastructure and school teachers. He also praised AbdulRazaq for doing so much on the security of life and property in the state.

The traditional ruler also appreciated Fagbemi and the Olofa of Offa for their numerous support and advice, which he said, have assisted him to achieve greatly in the last one year.