social-economic activities and Nigeria's
Independence celebration
were Wednesday disrupted in Delta State as youths
numbering over 2,000 from across the country
staged a peaceful protest in Warri, against what they called
"unemployment in Nigeria."
The youths under the aegis of Youth Democratic Alliance
(YODA) International, commenced the protest from Airport
Junction in Effurun and ended it at the ever busy Enerhen-
Junction, with banners and placards bearing different
inscriptions.
Addressing the youths, leader of the group, Comrade Israel
O. Joe, lamented the spate of unemployment in the
country.
“Today, our nation celebrates Independence Day tagged
"Nigeria at 54." It is a day set aside for jubilation and
celebration. It is also declared a public holiday. But in any
sense, we should not be happy that our nation yet
celebrates pretentious freedom with mighty economic
chains. The rate of unemployment, joblessness and poverty
is unthinkable. The youths of this nation still wallow in the
hallowed chamber of economic injustice. The economic
disequilibrium has been very obvious. The youths are not
independent and the nation has presented to us a cheque of
hopelessness, yet fastening our legs to the iron rod of
bankruptcy.
“I am happy today, not because of the celebrations in the
darkest days of our nation’s history, but because of the
small group of committed youths that have gathered here
today to demonstrate the shamelessness of our nation. I
also fundamentally appreciate some of YODA state
coordinators and their delegates that are here from the
south to the west, the east to the north. I can see your
unswerving devotion and dedication to the Youth
Democratic Alliance (YODA) International and, of course,
your acute spirit of patriotism.
“Where have the youths gone wrong? Where are the jobs
we once begged graduates to pick up? Where is the
enabling environment for entrepreneurs to thrive? Where
are the accessible soft loans to young graduates? We can
no longer endure the language of the society that looks at
us daily to our face and tell us “no future.” We have come
to convey our grievances with our leaders with love and
respect and, of course, the greatest humility at our disposal.
We have come to demand economic justice. The youths are
tired and ready to take the bull by the horn the intimidation
and victimisation notwithstanding,” the group’s president
stated.
The Youth Democratic Alliance (YODA) International stated
that it shall mobilise countless youth NGOs and millions of
youths to the federal and state capitals as well as
boycotting elections should governments refuse to do
anything about the massive unemployment and joblessness
among the Nigerian youth.
The group added that youths shall soon converge again to
stage another massive protest on same and other matters.
According to the president, the unspeakable horrors of
joblessness among the Nigerian youths is reflected in the
gross malady of the Boko-Haram sect, noting that this has
widened the gap for insecurity, robbery, kidnapping,
cybercrime and many social vices as well as anti-patriotic
activities, stressing that as a nation, the issue of
unemployment was being trivialised by degrading economic
tranquility and that the nation continues to be the greatest
purveyor of economic injustice in the world.
“The conspicuous gap between wealth and abject poverty
has left an ultimate contemplation in the minds of dynamic
youths. We do not detest our policy makers but will not
align with the policies that have kept us in perpetual ruins.
We respect the structures but will not cooperate with the
system that has battered us with the whip of
dehumanisation. We have also come here today to launch
the campaign of #BringBackOurJobs. The volatile
tenseness as a result of idleness must not be allowed to
explode on a defenseless nation.
“The Youth Democratic Alliance (YODA) International will
mobilise countless youth NGOs and millions of youths to the
federal and state capitals and boycott elections if our
governments refuse to do anything about the massive
unemployment and joblessness among the Nigerian youths.
Let us return home with victory in our minds and shortly, we
shall converge again to stage another massive protest on
same and other matters. We celebrate you and appreciate
your patriotic concern and patience,” the group added.
The youths therefore called on the nation’s leaders and
stakeholders to, as matter urgency, find a way of
eliminating the unabated issue of unemployment in the
country.
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