…Women dominate agitators
By Okhide Em’ya David
Activists leading second day #EndSARS protest in Benin City, Edo State have condemned in very strong terms Nigeria government’s poor response to their demands.
The Activists led by an elderly woman, Comrade Victoria Nkechi-Edos , Comrade Michael Eghaghe and Comedian, King James said the exercise would be sustained until those in Authorities take concrete steps to address the plight of the protesting youths.
Unlike Fridays Protest which turned violent and claimed two lives, with hundred others sustaining severe degrees of injuries, Saturday’s Protests which held simultaneously at three areas, namely bypass axis of Benin City, Ramat Park by Jemila junction, as well as Oba Ovonramwen King’s Square, were quite peaceful.
Some of the Protesters indulged in playing Football at the ever busy roads, while others danced to soul inspirational and radical musical lyrics blasting from giant Speakers temporarily mounted on top of few vehicles around the protest grounds.
Saturday’s protesters were extremely polite to other members of the Public, while Women of various age dominated the crowd of Protesters.
They condoned off many major roads and streets in Benin Metropolis, with Commuters walking long distances following disruption of transportation system.
An octogenarian female protester, Comrade Victoria Nkechi-Edos and another elderly woman from the National Women Societies of Nigeria (NWSN) said the #EndSARS Protests have sent strong message to those in the corridors of power that there is a limit people can endure unavoidable sufferings.
They warned that the People were capable of embarking on spontaneous revolution as they have sustained the on-going Protests without blinking an eye lid.
They said there must be pragmatic approach towards initiation and enforcement of policies to productively engage the millions of unemployed youths, many whom have taken to crime including dreaded money rituals, kidnapping and recently enrolling to fight for Insurgents to make ends meet.
The Comedian, King James said the Federal Government has suddenly approved huge amount of Money for striking University Lecturers under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in desperate efforts to pull the Youths from the Protest, especially those who are mainly stranded undergraduates since the Government/ASUU crisis began to undermine the fresh agitation to reposition Nigeria.
“As in established democracies, which Federal Government claimed they are running in the Country, instead of them to Protect the Protesters, they are using thugs to unleash mayhem on armless advocacy Groups”.
On his part, Comrade Michael Eghaghe who described himself as a social crusader warned that enough was enough as majority of the people are undergoing too much hardship.
Eghaghe said the #EnDSARS Protests depict accumulated grievances and dashed hopes or many Nigerians who had expected that ushering in fresh democracy in 1999 was a gateway to a new country where social order, security ,economic justice and above all, rule of law will prevail.
At the various Protest grounds in Benin on Saturday, a group of Youths adorned with artificial dreadlocks tried unsuccessfully to convince spectators including this reporter how advanced fee free fraud popularly called “Yahoo” is now a profession.
On whether they are registrable as a Union, some of the youths said that is why they are in “solidarity with the real #EnDSARS Advocacy Groups.”
On whether they intend to remain at the Oba Ovonramwen King’s Square and other places they are occupying, many of the youths said the order will come from their Leaders.
