Pastor Tunde Bakare, Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC), formerly Latter Rain Assembly, has condemned the clampdown on #EndSARS protesters by the Federal Government, noting that the older generation could not afford to keep “sinful” silence over the incident.
Bakare, who disclosed this in a state of the nation address titled
The Youth of a Nation are the Trustees of Posterity’ to mark the grand finale of the Diamond Jubilee celebration of his wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Layide Bakare, and his 66th birthday, said the actions of the government may lead to a resurgence of protests across the country.
He also condemned the freezing of the accounts of #EndSARS promoters, seizure of passports, indiscriminate arrests and clampdown on social media, describing it as some of the actions recently taken by the government which need to be reversed so as not to trigger further protests.
The cleric, who recounted fond memories of the peaceful protests he led during the ‘Ali-Must-Go’ era as a student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), said the right to peaceful protest is one that every Nigerian, especially youths, should not be deprived of.
“As our nation returns to the drawing board in the wake of the #EndSARS protests, I have observed with keen interest the policy actions and positions taken by the national and subnational governments to address the broader issues of youth development in Nigeria.
“Truth be told, this season of our national life requires deep humility, sobriety, and deliberate thinking through both by the government and the governed, in order to ensure that our plans, policies, and actions are weighed before they are implemented to avert the re-occurrence of our most recent crisis.
“In light of the foregoing, some of the actions recently taken by the government on the heels of the #EndSARS protests may need to be reversed sooner rather than later in our collective best interest so that they do not trigger further protests.
“Among such policy actions is the freezing of the accounts of young Nigerians who reportedly sponsored the protests,” he said.
The former presidential candidate said although he accepted that under the country’s extant laws, banks may freeze an account upon an ex parte order granted to a law enforcement agency by a court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose of investigation, he said the law should not be used to intimidate Nigerian youths simply because they engaged in and promoted protests against the inactions of the government.
“Targeting and arresting citizens on trumped-up charges, deploying court probes as a tool of intimidation, and generally eroding our fragile peace are deeply worrisome signs of regression,” he noted.
On the shooting of peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate, Bakare, who described the incident as painful, added that the youths of today were still facing the same beasts they faced years ago as young students.
“As I reminisced on the unfortunate incident of the shooting of unarmed protesters by Nigerian soldiers, I recalled with solemnity how I almost lost my life in the Ali- Must-Go protests as armed policemen fired live bullets into a crowd of students protesting peacefully.
“It is painful that the younger generation has had to face the same beasts we fought in my generation.
“This is why we cannot afford to keep sinful silence when the youths of our nation are being oppressed by a Nigerian state that is supposed to protect them,” Bakare said.
He, however, commended the Federal Government for taking some actions like the disbandment of SARS; setting up a panel of inquiry with youth representatives, and launch of the N75 billion Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (N-YIF).
“I commend these actions by the federal and state governments. They have, to an extent, been forced to self-reflect and align with the times,” he said.
While reiterating his opposition to the move to regulate social media, he charged the Nigerian youths to channel their “enormous energy towards an organised movement for a new Nigeria”.
He stated that despite being a victim of misrepresentation and abuse on social media himself, he would not support the attempt to deprive the Nigerian youth of the social media space.
He said: “Let me state, once again, that although I have been a victim of misrepresentation and needless defamation of character on social media, I remain an advocate of freedom of expression.
“However, while I stand for the responsible use of social media, I will never subscribe to any attempt to deprive Nigerian youths of a space and context in which they have found a sense of self.
“Over the course of various interactions, I have outlined eight segments of our national life that I describe as constituting Nigeria’s political power blocs, each wielding significant influence in the outcome of politics and governance in Nigeria, namely: the Council of State and the thirty-six state governors, retired Generals, traditional institutions, political dynasties, the private sector (including the media), religious leaders, the Nigeria Labour Congress/Trade Union Congress (NLC/TUC), and foreign partners.
“My position has been that any individual or group that seeks to be reckoned with politically in Nigeria must not take any of these for granted.
“I would like to state at this juncture that there is a ninth power bloc that must not be taken for granted: it is the Nigerian youths with the power of social media.
“Any political group that takes the social media-savvy Nigerian youths for granted does so at its own risk or peril.
“This is why I strongly advise the power blocs, including the South-West governors who are calling for stricter regulation of social media, to desist from doing so.”
#EndSARS: CAN Urges FG To Listen To Youths, Make Changes
The Federal Government has been called upon by President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. (Dr.) Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, to give agitations of the youths in the country urgent attention.
Describing the youths as formidable part of the nation that should be given proper and adequate attention, CAN president charged the youth not to despair but give the Federal Government time to address their listed agitations.
Ayokunle made the call on Sunday in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during the consecration ceremony of Rev (Dr.) James Bayo Owoyemi, as the president of the United Apostolic Church of Christ (U.A.C.C) worldwide.
According to him, “I want the government not to trivialise the voice of the youths but to ensure and work assiduously and make concrete plans for them in the developmental programme of the country, especially in creating an enabling environment for employment for the youths.
“With the way they have spoken, I want to also advise the youth to be patient because Rome was not built in a day. They also need to allow the government to have space to rejig things and make plans for them.”
The cleric charged the citizenry to be steadfast in their prayers for a better nation.
He said: “If any year is good, we need to praise Him and if otherwise, we need to talk to Him the more on the need to make the year better for us.
“The situation of the country has shown to us that power belongs to Him and not to us. Any good we received is not because we merit it. It is because of His grace. We need to be humble in our dealings with the Almighty. Appreciate Him for the little we have so that He can open the doors for the plenty.”
The newly consecrated president, Rev (Dr.) Bayo Owoyemi, appealed to the government to prioritise the welfare of youths.
He said: “The youths of the country have spoken. Let the government listen and rise to its responsibility. What we are expecting after the protest is a positive change in the country.”
