The ENDSARS Protest along Kachia road, Kaduna weekend. PHOTOS:Olu Ajayi.
By Ugochukwu Alaribe
UMUAHIA-As the #EndSARS protests turn violent in different parts of the country, a Methodist Bishop, Dr. Sunday Onuoha has called on the demonstrating youths not to take the laws into their own hands.
Speaking in Umuahia during a virtual media training with the theme, “Communicating peace during COVID-19 crisis”, organized by his Foundation, Vision Africa, Bishop Onuoha said it was time for Nigerians not to allow hoodlums to take advantage of the given situation and cause grievous harm to the people.
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He advised the government to listen to the demands of the youths for peace to reign in the country.
In his words; “When things are not okay, people are free to cry out; and when they are crying, we should not tell them how to cry. If I’m not happy and I’m uncomfortable and I’m crying, you don’t need to tell me how to cry, I will only cry as long as my cry does not obstruct the public good.
“Peace is very relative, but from our own perspective, we know it is achievable because our goal is to share hope and opportunities for people. For us in this part of the world especially Nigeria where many
young people are going around calling for an end to SARS intimidation, it is a time for government to listen and for those who are demonstrating not to take laws into their hands”, the cleric admonished.
According to the cleric, “Media is the most important agent of peace in the society. Let’s ensure that through various media organizations, that we bring about peace and reconciliation among people instead of bringing sensational messages and information that would create crisis in our society. Even the ways we lived with our families, even relationships, businesses have all changed, if things have changed, peoples’ way of doing things must also change.”
One of the virtual media trainers, Chuck Pollak said the world was no longer the same since the COVID-19 crisis, adding that the world was going through things that were not normal.
