Some youths in Osun under the aegis of Coalition of Concern Nigerian Citizens, on Thursday, joined the nationwide protests against hunger and suffering.
In apparent fear and apprehension, some shops were closed in Osun State as major streets were deserted on thursday while the state secretariat, Abere, was shut.
The popular Osun Mall, Justrite, was not opened in apparent fear of being attacked as experienced during the Endsars protest.
Security personnel were stationed at some strategic places such as Olaiya, Old garage, freedom Park, governor’s Secretariat, Abere, Igbona, Stadium among others
The protesters who converged at Freedom Park through Olaiya-Ogo Oluwa, Ogoluwa, House of Assembly towards Governor’s office, where seen carrying placards with inscriptions such as “End hunger now, we are hunger now, palliative won’t end hunger”, “Revert fuel price to Pre-May 29, 2023 price”, “we wat food price control with immediate effect”, “Bring back fuel subsidy”, “Reverse electricity tariff”, among others.
Speaking on the side line of the protest the Coordinator of Coalition of Concern Nigeria Citizen in Osun state, Ajala Adetunji, said the protest became a necessity in order to express their dissatisfaction against the present hardship in the country.
He noted that the protest will last for ten days but might be reviewed due to the coming Osun-Osogbo festival.
In his words, “Hunger, poverty and bad policy that is affecting all of us. We are here not because of any political affiliation, not because anybody is given a dime, what we have seen is a function of the people and the community that we belonged to.
“The youth population is the largest population and they are the one suffering most. The office of the citizen is the highest office in the land.
“We are not afraid of anybody. What we have come to do is to exercise our rights. According to the constitution of Nigeria, we are here to establish what we are passing through. Many people are saying we should not come out. Why are they saying that.
“What we are fighting for is for the people. Petrol price is N800 today. It is not a question of either APC or PDP. What we are passing through in this country is affecting everybody.
“Tinubu should review the policies. We are hungry. The protest is going to last for ten days. We are going to review our own in Osun because of Osun-Osogbo festival.”
