By Abbas Bamalli, Katsina
The Nigeria First Project Initiative, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) in Katsina has advised Nigerian youth to respect the advice of elders and shun the planned nationwide protest.
The CSO gave the advice at a news conference in Katsina on Friday, led by Mr Hamza Umar-Saulawa, its National Coordinator and Bishir Dauda, Director, Research and Documentation.
The national coordinator said the youth should not disobey the religious leaders, revered traditional rulers and council of elders.
He said: “This organisation wishes to call on all Nigerian youth, who are the great stakeholders in the Nigerian project to shun the upcoming nationwide protest.
“The Nigerian youth should not revolt against their country.
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“You should not disobey our learned ulama and religious leaders, revered monarchs and council of elders who have already spoken wisely against any street protest.
“Nigerians are cultured people, we are also religious people, we are known globally, as people of culture. Respecting religious, ,traditional and constituted authorities is part and parcel of our rich culture.”
Umar-Saulawa urged the youth to respect the wisdom of the elders, who not only speak out of experience, “but also begged you to shelve the planned protest in the interest of peace, unity and progress of the country.”
He observed that though, protest was within the constitutional right of citizens, yet, refusing to heed to elders’ advice may tantamount to desecration of societal sacred values and customs.
The national coordinator cautioned the youth not imitate Kenyan protesters, “because the contexts in the two countries historically and contemporarily are not the same.
“Therefore, it is incorrect to expect a caricature intervention to work for us. In addition, let’s manage our emotions intelligently.
“Let us listen to our elders, and act in accordance with their wise counsel, and indeed, let us give the president a benefit of doubt,” he advised.
Umar-Saulawa said the president had just clocked only one year in office, and he has inherited a bleeding nation and a battered economy which could not be fixed in just a year.
“Even if the protest is done, it will not produce miraculous results. Nation building is a process, so we urge the youth to come to grips with this reality, and allow the leaders at various levels to work.
“We should avoid taking extreme measures that may undermine not only the dispensation, but the country as a whole,” he advised.
NAN