Engage In Peaceful Activism, Not Destruction, NAIDS President Charges Students -

Wale Jagun

Comrade Ogunbowale Bodunrin, NIADS President – elect

The President – elect, National Association of Ikorodu Division Students (NAIDS), Comrade Ogunbowale Olatayo Bodunrin, has called on the students and youths in Ikorodu Division, to engage peacefully if there is need to embark on protest to demand good governance.

He charged them to learn from what happened during the #EndSars protest when there were destruction of lives and properties.

While stating that he is not too pleased with the system in the country, in a statement issued today, Comrade Bodunrin also added that youths have the right to protest to demand for good governance, but charged that they must assemble peacefully and embrace dialogue.

His statement is reproduce below:

IKORODU DIVISION STUDENTS SHOULD ENGAGE IN CONSTRUCTIVE PROTEST, NOT DESTRUCTION OF OUR LAND, ASSETS, IF YOU SO DESIRE GOOD GOVERNANCE FOR ALL

Happy New Month of August, National Association of Ikorodu Division Students’ and Students of Ikorodu Division!

I welcome you all into another dispensation of a new month I presume to be a peaceful and harmonious month for the betterment of governance in our country, and our individual life as a whole.

I want to use this atmosphere of high tempo of advocacy for good governance we all demanded and this new month of August, to urge everyone to embrace all forms of peaceful and enabling environment so that coming generations will write positive stories to eulogise our actions and approaches.

I want to acknowledge your passion and commitment to creating positive change in our society. Your voices matter and your activism is crucial towards shaping our future and restructuring our country’s system of government.

Meanwhile, at this juncture, let me remind you about the past protests in Ikorodu, our dear blessed state, Lagos State and across our country, which, unfortunately, resulted in wanton destruction of public properties and loss of lives. While I understand the frustration and anger that fueled those protests and the germane reasons for calling for a new protest to be staged, I urge you to learn from those ugly experiences of the past protests, and adopt a more constructive approach this time around.

I’m also not fully happy with the new government in our country, there is hunger, frustration everywhere, and lack of empathy towards the masses from our leaders.

However, as you exercise your right to protest in order to remind the government about its constitutional obligations to urgently address the economic challenges in the country and the consequent hardship facing the masses, please, remember that violence and destruction only undermine your cause and delay meaningful reforms. Instead, let your voices be heard through peaceful assemblies, respectful engagement with authorities, and inclusive dialogue.

While your demands for good governance, improved education, and better living conditions are legitimate and deserving of attention, let us work together to achieve these goals without compromising the safety and well-being of our communities.

I, therefore, encourage you to stay focused on promoting a peaceful environment where diverse perspectives are respected, and collaborative problem-solving approach is embraced. Your energy and creativity can bring about transformative change without resorting to destructive actions.

Let us build a legacy of peaceful activism, where our voices are heard, our demands are met, and our communities, states and country thrive in harmony. Remember, the true power of protest lies not in destruction, but in the ability to inspire positive change.