Protest: South East traditional rulers not in support – Asadu
By Kingsley Okoye and Emmanuel Jonathan
Igwe Samuel Asadu, Chairman, South-East Council of Traditional rulers, says the council is not in support of the planned nationwide protest slated for Aug. 1 to 10.
Asadu, who is the traditional ruler of Edem-Ani Ogwugwu kingdom, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state, said this when he appeared on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja on Sunday.
The traditional ruler said that the council would not support any agitation organised by “some faceless people”, adding that the council is asking for calm.
He urged those behind the protest to find other ways of ventilating their anger to avoid causing chaos across the country.
Asadu said that peaceful protest could be infiltrated by miscreants who would take laws into their hands to cause anarchy.
“It is easier to destroy than to build, so all we are asking is for calm; we are asking for dialogue,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to engage them in a dialogue as they may have their reasons for planning the protest.
The traditional ruler said that times are hard with the current economic situation in the country, coupled with the fuel subsidy removal.
“I am feeling it in my community because the people come to me every day for assistance. We are not in any way supporting the protest at all.
“But I still want the government to see a way of engaging them in dialogue, the President is the Father of the nation,” he said.
Asadu encouraged traditional rulers in the country to find a way to engage their people by organising festive activities periodically.
“Find a way to engage the people, everything is not about government alone, insist on what you can do for your people and not what they can do for you as their leader,” he said.
NAN reports that several groups have announced their withdrawal from the planned nationwide protests against economic hardship.
A group from the South East, under the aegis of Enugu Innovative Youths, said on Saturday that it was opting out of the exercise to avoid exacerbating the security situation in the state and the country.
It recalled what transpired during the ENDSARS protest and argued that the tendency to hijack the protest was too high.
The group called for patience while things improve.(NAN)
Edited by Joseph Edeh
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