Safety concerns amid Osun Osogbo Festival lead to suspension of the #EndBadGovernance protest in Osun State
On Tuesday, August 6, 2024, the #EndBadGovernance protest in Osun State was suspended by the organizers.
This decision was made after the completion of the sixth-day protest in the state.
The Coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens, the group behind the protest, initially gathered at the popular Nelson Mandela Freedom Park in Osogbo and proceeded to march to the Government Secretariat in Abere.
According to New Telegraph, the protesters presented their demands to the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, through his deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi, and the Secretary to the State Government.
Ajala Adetunji, the coordinator of the group, stated that they decided to temporarily pause the protest after assessing the security situation and considering the ongoing Osun Osogbo festival in the state capital.
Since the start of this peaceful protest, we have clearly outlined our demands, calling for immediate action from our leaders to address the pressing issues affecting the citizens of our state and country.
We acknowledge the recent address by the President of Nigeria. However, we express our profound disappointment as the President’s speech failed to address any of our specific demands.
Despite this setback, today we successfully presented our demands to the Governor of Osun State through the deputy governor and secretary to the state government, who assured us that our demands will be forwarded to the Federal Executive Council.
Furthermore, we assessed the security situation in relation to the ongoing Osun Osogbo festival in Osogbo. It is important to highlight that the protest coincidentally takes place in Osogbo, which raises concerns.
Considering the safety of the influx of tourists attending the global Osun osogbo festival and the potential for troublemakers disguising themselves as tourists to attack peaceful protesters, among other security concerns, we find it crucial to suspend the protest on August 6, 2024.
While we commend the courage of peaceful protesters, we urge concerned citizens to remain steadfast in our demands and continue expressing them. We must also plan for the next phase of the struggle in case our demands are not met.
We urge the government to promptly and decisively address the issues we have raised.
The Coalition will remain vigilant and committed to ensuring that our demands are met. We call on all participants and supporters to stay united and await further updates on the progress of our engagement with the government.
We extend our gratitude to the people of Osun State and all Nigerians for their unwavering support and dedication to the cause of justice and good governance. Let us continue to advocate for a better Nigeria with peace and dignity.
