The N1 million gift for the #EndSARS youth leaders and influencers in the Oyo state by Governor Seyi Makinde has caused rancour and tearing the cause apart.
Recently, youth representatives met with Governor Makinde alongside artisans, drivers where they deliberated on issues of politce extortion and brutality.
According to a report by Leadership Newspaper, the governor, through one of his aides, reportedly gave the money to the Students’ Union President of the University of Ibadan, Mr. Daniel Akeju to serve as ‘transport and logistics’ for the #EndSARS protesters present.
It was gathered that the youths decided to share the money, with each individual pocketing a minimum of N40, 000.
This, however, had resulted in a controversy as some of those present insisted that the money should be returned, noting that the #EndSARS movement was not a money making avenue.
According to a list, it was indicated that 19 of those present collected the money while a few others rejected it.
This disagreement continued to degenerate on social media as those who collected the money were facing backlash for “monetizing #EndSARS” while some insisted that the money was not a big deal.
While defending himself, Popular Ibadan-based media personality, Paul Alasiri, who was one of those who collected the money wrote: “I will personally give an account of what happened today.
“I was called on Friday about a meeting with Hon. Seun Fakorede and I called a few guys to tell them about as I cannot call everyone here, a member of this group represented us and gave minutes.
“As a follow up to the meeting I was called this Morning that there would be a Town Hall Meeting with the Governor of Oyo State today and when I immediately a stakeholder here and told him about it, I also passed the message across to a few members of the group.
“The Town Hall Meeting was attended by not just #EndSARS Protesters but also other artisans, Okada Riders, Keke/Micra Riders, members of OYHA, National Youth Council and other bodies.
“At the end of the meeting Akeju (the UI SU Leader) was given N1million naira for the youth who were around (some had gone and others left).
“I personally called a few people here and asked them for their opinion, some said since the money wasn’t rejected immediately, we should go ahead and share it and others said we should return it”.
In the last three weeks, youths from different parts of the country had formed a formidable force like never before to demand the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of the Nigeria Police Force and demanded an end to police brutality
The fight by the Nigerian youth had been lauded and largely successful for various reasons prominent among which was the unity.
However, in Oyo State, the unity among the youths running the protest had been broken by a million naira given them for refreshment by the governor.
Source: Leadership Newspaper
