The Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo, and Delta States, Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola, has appealed to the organizers of the End Bad Governance protest to shelve their plans and engage in constructive dialogue with the Federal Government.
“It is an open secret that there is economic hardship across the country and I sincerely empathise with the frustration that most Nigerians are passing through, but I wish to call on the organizers to exercise more patience and allow the federal government more time to find lasting solutions to the present economic situation,” Akinola said in a statement issued in Ibadan on Saturday.
Akinola, who also serves as the Aare of Ibadanland, cautioned that the protest could be hijacked by hoodlums, leading to violence and anarchy. “In a situation where the agitation can be hijacked by hoodlums which may eventually lead to violence and anarchy, one needs to take caution,” he warned.
While acknowledging the economic hardship faced by Nigerians, Akinola urged patience and called on the Federal Government to find lasting solutions to the economic situation.
“There is need for immediate implementation of the recently approved new national minimum wage in order to improve the living conditions of Nigerian workers and to also provide relief to struggling families,” he added.
Akinola also charged political office holders to display prudence and transparency in their activities, saying “Political office holders at all levels must always display high level of prudency and transparency in their official programmes and activities in order to ensure rapid economic recovery for the betterment of the populace.”
Additionally, Akinola called on the Federal Government to address the issues of banditry, kidnappings, and senseless killings, saying “The federal government must urgently re-strategize in order to put an end to banditry, kidnappings and senseless killings in various parts of the country.”
The Islamic cleric also enjoined religious leaders to continue praying for President Bola Tinubu, state governors, and their teams to ensure quick economic recovery.
