Following the ongoing Osun-Osogbo Festival in Osun State, organisers of the #Endbadgovernance protest have suspended the hunger protest in the State.
The Protest which entered its sixth day on Tuesday, saw the protesters converging at the usual Freedom Park and walking through MDS, Olaiya, Ogo-Oluwa to the Government Secretariat at Abere, where the Coordinator Ajala Adetunji submitted the demands of the group to the Deputy Governor, Mr Kola Adewusi, who received them on behalf of the Governor.
Adewusi assured the group that their demand would be submitted to President Bola Tinubu at the next National Economic Council meeting in Abuja.
“On behalf of the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, I want to thank you for being peaceful since the protest commenced. You are not fighting for yourself but the entire people of the state. We all know what is happening in the country.
“We’ve received your request, and I want to promise you that the Governor will present it at the next National Economic Council meeting”, he said.
Meanwhile, Adetunji and other leaders of the protest, while addressing journalists in Osogbo after the day’s activities, revealed that the organisers have decided to suspend further protest to allow for peaceful celebration of the Osun-Osogbo Festival.
His words, “Furthermore, we reviewed the security situation vis-a- vis the Osun Osogbo festival presently ongoing at Osogbo. It is worthy of note to establish that protest is incidentally taking place in Osogbo which is of concern.
“Considering the safety of the influx of tourists coming for the global Osun osogbo festival and the possibility of hoodlums disguising as tourist and unleashing attacks on peaceful protesters amidst other security concerns, we consider it imperative to put the protest on hold today 6th August, 2024
“While we salute the courage of peaceful protesters, we urge concerned citizens to remain resolute on our demands and continue to ventilate the same while planning for the next stage of the struggle should incase the demands are not meant”.
The annual Osun-Osogbo International festival has commenced since three weeks ago and would climaxed on Friday, August 9, 2024 with the procession of the maiden calabash bearer and other adherents to the Osun Grove.
Source | Vanguard
