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Amid the ongoing nationwide protest against hunger and bad governance in Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu addressed Nigerians in a broadcast on Sunday, August 4, 2024, to douse some tensions.
Some Nigerians have been hitting the streets since last Thursday in a planned 10-day showdown intended to call the Federal Government's attention to pressing matters of national concern.
The protesters have tabled some demands which they insisted the government must meet before they called time on the demonstrations.
According to the police, seven people have been killed as violence and bomb attacks broke out in some states during the protests.
There have also been reports of looting and destruction of public and private property by hoodlums who took advantage of the process to perpetrate their heinous intentions.
On Saturday, August 3, 2024, social media was awash with photos and videos of confrontations between protesters and security agencies who were trying to restrict the demonstrators to dedicated locations.
In yielding the call of many Nigerians, the President addressed the nation and hit some right notes in his speech.
Below are five important issues Tinubu addressed in his speech
Condolences and sue for peace
The President expressed deep pain over the loss of lives in some states during the nationwide protest and commiserated with the deceased's families and relations.
He also appealed to the protesters to sheath their swords and create an opportunity for a dialogue with the government to prevent further bloodshed.
He said, "I commiserate with the families and relations of those who have died in the protests. We must stop further bloodshed, violence and destruction.”
Warning to security agencies
While commending the efforts of security agencies for promptly responding to violence in some states and ensuring that the protests didn't snowball into chaos, Tinubu equally instructed them to respect the people's rights.
"In conclusion, security operatives should continue to maintain peace, law, and order in our country, following the necessary conventions on human rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory. The safety and security of all Nigerians are paramount," he stated.
Warning to promoters of ethnic bigotry
In response to the emerging threats and attacks against another ethnic group on social media, the President warned promoters of such rhetoric to desist.
He stressed that he won't stand idly and allow a few with a clear political agenda to tear the nation apart.
"Nigeria requires all hands on deck and needs us all – regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides, to work together in reshaping our destiny as a nation.
"To those who have taken undue advantage of this situation to threaten any section of this country, be warned: The law will catch up with you. There is no place for ethnic bigotry or such threats in the Nigeria we seek to build.
“Our democracy progresses when the constitutional rights of every Nigerian are respected and protected,” he stressed.
Programmes for the youth
While highlighting his government's achievements thus far, Tinubu outlined several initiatives that are targeted at empowering the youth which include the student loan, Digital and Creative Enterprises (IDiCE) programme, and various skill development schemes.
"These programmes include the 3Million Technical Talents scheme. Unfortunately, one of the digital centres was vandalised during the protests in Kano. What a shame!
"In addition, we have introduced the Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA); the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA); and the National Youth Talent Export Programme (NATEP)," he noted.
Economic reforms
Tinubu also doubled down on the tough decisions taken by his government, including the removal of subsidy on petrol on his first day in office.
Tinubu reiterated that those decisions were necessary to undo decades of economic mismanagement and set the nation on the path of sustainable growth.
"Just over a year ago, our dear country, Nigeria, reached a point where we couldn’t afford to continue the use of temporary solutions to solve long-term problems for the sake of now and our unborn generations.
"I, therefore, took the painful yet necessary decision to remove fuel subsidies and abolish multiple foreign exchange systems which had constituted a noose around the economic jugular of our Nation and impeded our economic development and progress.
"These actions blocked the greed and the profits that smugglers and rent-seekers made. They also blocked the undue subsidies we had extended to our neighbouring countries to the detriment of our people, rendering our economy prostrate.
"These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well. Yes, I agree, the buck stops on my table. But I can assure you that I am focused fully on delivering the governance to the people – good governance for that matter," he concluded.