AGITATIONS , YOUTH RESTIVENESS And CONSEQUENCES OF NOT HEEDING TO ADVICE
By Ogbuatu Simbad
State Publicity Secretary APC, Ebonyi State
There is absolutely nothing wrong about agitation. It has always been there. Youth restiveness is not a new thing. Our founding fathers engaged in it positively and brought us to where we are today. The likes of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Martin Elechi, Odumegwu Ojukwu, Michael Okpara and Mbanefo were youths when they began to make impactful contributions to national development. There were youth movements in those days that spearheaded the independence of Nigeria from the colonial masters.
Today, the reverse is the case. We are destroying institutions, lives and properties in the name of agitation and youth restiveness. The question is how will that solve the problems? We are complicating our matters by our actions. No sane man will burn down his house in pursuit of rat. It will take a mad man to do that. But that is what we are doing indirectly in the name of Biafra agitation.
What are we benefitting by burning police stations, INEC offices, disrespecting our leaders and killing our brothers and sisters?. How will it give us Biafra. The late Ojukwu said and I quote *”I was proud leading the first Biafra agitation and war but the second one is not necessary”.* Of a truth it is not necessary. We are beating the drum of war and forgetting the consequences. War is not rice and beans. War is calamity, starvation, deaths, hopelessness, lawlessness, deprivation, stagnation, killings etc. It’s not a joke but a serious affair. In times of war, there will be no freedom, no business, farming, food and no necessities of life anymore.
The agitation and youth restiveness we are seeing today is no more agitation. It has been hijacked by criminals whose aim is to hide under the platform and unleash terror in the society. Youth restiveness is a combination of actions, conducts or acts that constitute unwholesome socially unacceptable behaviours exhibited by youths in Doany community.
The so called agitation for Biafra and youth restiveness we see today does more harm than good to us. Ebonyians are fortunate to have a man on the saddle who is well equipped and ready to handle issues to the benefits of Ebonyi people. But the youths are sentimentally undermining his developmental strides in pursuit of shadows. The implications of agitation and youth restiveness we embark on today include but not limited to the following:
1. It sets back government’s efforts to improve the well being of the citizens.
2. Security of lives and properties of the people has been jeopardized.
3. The agitation can trigger sectarian violence in the country, if not sensibly handled. The destruction of institutions of government as well as residential buildings and businesses areas can have far reaching repercussions on the fragile peace and security in the country.
4. Retaliation on the basis of ‘tit – for – tat ‘ has potential of unleashing what anthropologists refer to as ” blood – feud ” which is revenge or reprisal killings.
5. It can lead to civil war and ‘arrested development’ in the South East especially in Ebonyi State where our amiable Governor is doing infrastructural revolution.
Finally, I heard His Excellency, Engr Chief David Nweze Umahi clearly in his State House press conference that if the agitators can bring their matters to him. That within six(6) months, he shall address it squarely . And I know that as the Chairman of South East Governor’s Forum and Co-Chairman South South Governor’s forum, he is speaking the mind of other Governors in South East. We can trust him for that. He is an expert in consultation and lobby of what his people want. He has fervently demonstrated that often and on.
Therefore, let us understand that killings and destruction of institutions of government will not give us Biafra but dialogue and consultation can take us to our dreamlands.
God bless our dear Governor His Excellency, Engr Chief David Nweze Umahi FNSE, FNATE for the wisdom and understanding he has demonstrated in the face of unwarranted provocations as a result of the agaitations and youth restiveness in the State.
APC!!
Umahi is the answer.
