Planned Nation-wide protest, devoid of clear agenda, don’t participate – ILOT tells Itsekiris

The respected Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILOT, has advised Itsekiris across the world, not to participate in the planned Nation-wide protest, commencing Thursday August 1, saying the protest is devoid of any clear agenda.

Fresh Angle International, can report that the advisory, was contained in a statement released by the leadership of ILOT, at the end of its emergency meeting held in Warri, Delta State, Sunday July 28.

According to the Itsekiri elite group, “a protest of this nature is an ill-wind that will do no one any good.”

The statement, which was signed by the Chairman and Secretary of ILOT, Chief Edward O. Ekpoko and Sir A. S. Mene, noted inter-alia: “The Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILoT), a socio-political organization of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality worldwide held an emergency meeting on Sunday, 28th day of July, 2024, at Warri, Delta State on the state of the nation, particularly the intended Nation-wide protest scheduled to begin on 1st August, 2024.

“The leadership noted that:

i           The current economic hardship faced by Nigerians, especially our teeming and un-employed youths is worrisome and of concern to all. Our thoughts are with them. Government at all level should do more to ameliorate this hardship.

ii.         Peaceful protest as a means of expression of grievances is guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution and other international statutes to which Nigeria is a signatory.

iii.        The planned nation-wide protest is devoid of any clear agenda, and demands (if met) can only lead to a state of anarchy.

iv.        The organizers of the protest, who are mainly living in diaspora, whose identities are not clear for now or kept secret and some politicians, make it worrisome. It also makes the whole exercise look like it is predetermined to effect turbulence of a mob and therefore stand the risk of being hijacked by hoodlums as the case of the now infamous END SARS PROTEST of October, 2020. We are yet to recover from the effect of that protest.

v.         The Arab Spring in North Africa which started on 17th December, 2010, after series of anti-government protest, hijacked by hoodlums, left almost the entire region without a stable government till date. This has resulted to huge illegal migration to Europe and other parts of the world at great danger to human lives. We do not wish that for Nigeria and Nigerians.

vi.        We note the efforts of the Federal Government to ameliorate the harsh condition Nigerians are facing and ask that the government be given time to carry out its reform programmes. All tiers of government – states and local governments, should do more.

“RESOLUTIONS:

            Following our deliberations, we resolved as follows:

i.          The Itsekiri Leaders of Thought disassociates itself and indeed the entire Itsekiri people worldwide from the proposed nation-wide protest scheduled to begin on August 1, 2024, or any other date for the time being.

ii.         We call on all Itsekiri sons and daughters, especially our youths not to participate in the said protest.

iii.        A protest of this nature is an ill-wind that will do no one any good.”

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