Skip to main content

Youth Unemployment Protest Disrupts Independence Celebration In Delta

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."[slideshow]35312[/slideshow]

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.