Traditional Rulers in Nigeria on Thursday asked the organisers of #EndBadGovernance protests to channel their frustrations into meaningful dialogue with the Federal Government. They also warned against the possibility of the protests being hijacked by elements whom, they say, mean no good for the country. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who co-chairs the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, said this when he addressed journalists after an expanded cabinet meeting at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.
“People that are out there to protest, it is their civic right. But let them put a face to it, and don’t let it be hijacked by people that have ulterior motives. That is our stand.
“We traditional rulers are not in support of people, especially youths, coming out to loot and break down law and order. We condemn such acts fully. “We are parents.
We are traditional rulers. We are closer to them. We are going to go back home and continue to engage them,” the Ooni said.
His remarks follow growing calls for nationwide protests against economic hardship, scheduled for August 1 – 15, 2024. Thursday’s meeting was part of last-ditch efforts by the Federal Government to engage critical stakeholders to avert what it perceives as a brewing crisis. The Ooni, who promised that the traditional rulers would engage their people back home, appealed to organisers to embrace dialogue, saying the government remains open to talking.
“The President has said, ‘An.