Hon Rasaq Ajala, the Chairman of Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye LCDA, has urged Lagos youth to favour constructive dialogue over violent protests.
This plea came during a grassroots engagement event hosted by the Lagos State Chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), under the leadership of Engr Ibrahim Adigun.
Ajala emphasised that protests are a legitimate tool within a democratic society, acknowledging their importance in expressing grievances.
“There is nothing wrong with protests. It is one of the permissible tools in every democratic society to register grievances,” he stated.
However, he cautioned against repeating the violence witnessed during the EndSARS protests and the ongoing unrest in Kenya.
“The government and the people are against the planned protests because of what happened during the EndSARS protests, and what is going on presently in Kenya. The governments do not want a repetition of EndSARS and a simile of Kenya protests.”
Appealing for calm, Ajala highlighted the significant role youth play in Nigeria’s development.
“Given the vantage position and population of youth in this country, every government will be conscious of the fact that the youth have a lot to contribute to the growth of this nation. However, we should not forget that we are not a productive nation. And the president is working around the clock to ensure that that is our ultimate destination — to become a productive nation.
“To achieve this, we need to exercise a lot of patience. We all know that Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration is just a year. I know there will be light at the end of the tunnel.”
Ajala also detailed various initiatives undertaken by Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye LCDA to uplift the youth.
“So far, I can boldly mention that at our own level, we have empowered over 2,000 youth in different skills ranging from ICT, solar installation, tailoring, and other vocations. Because we understand that most of our youth aren’t economically buoyant, we introduced financial aids to students, undergraduates, and business owners among them. We recently introduced a N100m loan for small businesses, with most of the beneficiaries being the youth. Besides, we give annual bursary awards to undergraduates and distribute free GCE forms to indigent students.”
As the secretary of Conference 57, Ajala was asked about measures to ensure other local governments offer similar support to the youth.
He explained that all local governments are making efforts to support state and federal initiatives, though they operate with varying resources.
“We can’t compare because we aren’t receiving the same allocation. Each time the Conference 57 meets, we discuss initiatives at each local government. And I can tell authoritatively that we are all doing our best based on the available resources,” he said.
Participants at the engagement session praised Hon Rasaq Ajala and encouraged other local government chairmen to follow his example.
The Chairman of NYCN Lagos State Chapter, Ibrahim Adigun, also expressed gratitude to the youth and leaders present. He briefed the meeting on ongoing efforts to sensitise the youth to embrace peace and reconsider planned protests.
The National Youth Council of Nigeria, represented at local, state, and federal levels, recently held a conference urging youth to rethink their approach to protests.
Ajala’s appeal during the engagement held via X space is part of a broader effort to foster a peaceful and constructive dialogue among Nigerian youth, ensuring their voices are heard without resorting to violence.
