A leading Civil Society Organization, Advocacy for Advancement of Peace &Harmony in Africa Initiative (ADAPHAI) has called on Nigerians, especially the youths to work towards peaceful co-existence as the only way of making the country better.
The group said Nigeria presently needs peaceful atmosphere to engender turnaround in all ramifications of its national life, adding that those who are fanning the embers of discord under the guise of activism have ulterior motives other than the national interest.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the National Coordinator of the organisation, Comrade Sulaimon Suberu, on Friday in Abuja titled: STATE OF THE NATION; THE TIME FOR NATIONAL DIALOGUE AS AGAINST DICISIVE TENDENCIES “.
ADAPHAI was reacting to the planned national protest earlier slated for 1st August against “Bad Governance “, and billed to last for days.
According to the statement, while protest remains a legitimate right of the people in a democracy, the contemporary Nigeria’s political development requires patience and dialogue to make a positive change in the socioeconomic life of the nation, warning that any attempt to go on the streets could be counterproductive and spell doom for the entire nation.
The group then called on the political class to restrategize and make policies that directly touch the lives of the common people and provide succour, beyond the age-long rhetorics and propaganda.
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It explained that despite the age of Nigeria’s democracy spanning over two decades, the heterogeneous nature of the country still make it very fragile and vulnerable to unimaginable political turmoil if conflicts are not properly managed and diplomatically handled.
ADAPHAI insists that majority of Nigerians are consciously divided along ethnic lines and being moved by regional agenda, making certain positions and comments on national issues very sectional and sentimental.
“Our organisation, as a leading peace advocacy group considers the need for national dialogue and amicable resolution of this present socio-economic quagmire better than going on the streets.
“Like the United Nations recently observed, the idea of protest at this point in time in Nigeria could snowball into large scale crisis of unimaginable magnitude, which would be too disastrous for the nation and the entire West Africa Sub-region as well as Africa as a whole.
“Because the country became more divided along ethnic considerations between 2015 and 2023, with high level of suspicion and distrust among different regional segments of the country, any agitation could precipitate large scale crisis that could consume the nation.
“The only solution as it stands is for every critical stakeholder to come together and resolve on better ways to get out of the present economic predicament and not through protest.
“Also, the political class, from the presidency to leadership of the local governments must quickly change their pattern of engagement that is not working and begin to dish out policies with human face’,the statement read.
