Abuja, 19 August, 2024 / 1:17 pm (ACI Africa).
The unity of Nigerians in calling on the government to address the “widespread” economic challenges in their country through recent street protests can spur changes for the better in the West African nation, Bishop Anselm Umoren has said.
“Nigerians have expressed their anger and grievances due to widespread hunger and economic hardships. When people unite for a cause they believe in, especially when driven by a common struggle, it can lead to positive and genuine change,” Bishop Umoren told ACI Africa in an interview.
In the August 16 interview, the Auxiliary Bishop of Nigeria’s Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja weighed in on the called on the August 1-10 anti-government protests, and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government to realize reforms to improve the livelihood of youths.
Organized under #EndBadGovernance, the youths-led protests saw Nigerian young people take to the streets, demanding an end to hunger and bad governance.
For Bishop Umoren, leaders “must” look beyond their own interests and address the pressing needs of the people. “Our leaders must see beyond what favors them and focus on the condition of the people they have been elected to serve,” he said.
