In light of the ongoing Osun-Osogbo Festival, organizers of the #Endbadgovernance protest have decided to temporarily halt their hunger protest in Osun State. This decision came after six days of demonstrations that saw protesters gathering at Freedom Park and marching through key locations like MDS, Olaiya, and Ogo-Oluwa before reaching the Government Secretariat in Abere.
During the protest, Ajala Adetunji, the protest coordinator, submitted the group’s demands to Deputy Governor Kola Adewusi, who received them on behalf of the Governor. Adewusi assured the protesters that their concerns would be brought to President Bola Tinubu at the next National Economic Council meeting in Abuja.
Adewusi expressed gratitude to the protesters for maintaining peace, stating, “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.”
Following the day’s activities, Adetunji and other protest leaders addressed journalists, explaining their decision to pause the protest. They emphasized the importance of ensuring a peaceful environment for the Osun-Osogbo Festival.
Adetunji stated, “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 tourists 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 met.”
The Osun-Osogbo International Festival, which has been ongoing for three weeks, is set to end on Friday, August 9, 2024, with a grand procession featuring the maiden calabash bearer and other devotees to the Osun Grove.
