MY TAKE ON THE ENDSARS PROTESTERS... HRM OBA SOLA OLANIYAN

Towards the EndSars and Bad Governance Protest across the country, His Royal Majesty, Oba Sola Adeniyi Olaniyan, The Onipokia of Ipokia Kingdom has reacted and urged the government to take necessary steps towards the request of the protesters, he made this known today during a phone chat with our correspondence and also described his 22years experience in western world. 

My take on the unfortunate events of the last weeks in Nigeria as requested.

“After President Buhari’s speech, we have heard different reactions from different quarters, some in support and some against his speech. Those against the speech complained of lack of sympathy for those who lost loved ones and not enough appeal & empathy to the youth and much more about what the government had done and still planning to do. 

My take is on the speech is it’s a little bit of both, but there is still chance for the state & federal government to balance it on both sides, so as to calm the situation down completely and give hope to the legitimate protesters in response to their requests are, which the government has started working on already. 

On the part of the youths, there is a clear difference between peaceful protests and vandalism, hooliganism and breakdown of law and order, which was what happened after a few days of decent & peaceful protests. When they turned to burning, looting and stealing of government and private properties, especially attacking Obas palace, that’s complete anarchy and disorder and the government have to step up and take charge, we thank God normalcy has continued to return gradually.

Destroying our infrastructures all in the name of protests is unreasonable and irresponsible and anyone found culpable should be severely punished because this is undermining the efforts of those who have legitimate the efforts for those who have legitimate reasons for protesting. 

Our government on the flip-side should take its citizens’ complaints seriously, I lived in the US for 22yrs before becoming an Oba, and there’s a clear difference on how we govern here in our country compared to the western countries. It’s a known fact Nigeria runs the most expensive democracy in the world. 

Our politicians need to show more compassion to their fellow countrymen, it’s an understatement to say there is hunger in the land, highest level of unemployment you can ever think of, no light, bad roads everywhere, and in some states like ours, you see pure inequalities & negligence of sins section playing out with impunity, very unfair. 

All these conditions needed to be considered by our leaders so as to continue to avoid the event of the previous weeks of civil unrest and to maintain peace & order in our country. Recurrence of such could be more disastrous than what we just witnessed because there’s frustration in the land”. 

May God continue to watch over our country. 

HRM, Oba Yisa ‘Sola Adeniyi Olaniyan. Onipokia of Kingdom