The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has warned that violent protests in Nigeria might have far-reaching ramifications for the entire African continent.
Speaking on Arise TV on Thursday, Kalu warned Nigerians to avoid replicating the current upheaval in Kenya.
On June 18, young Kenyans began protesting a disputed tax measure, which turned violent on June 25.
The rallies led to the torching of government buildings, damage of public infrastructure, and looting of grocery stores.
Kalu emphasised the necessity of keeping peace and encouraged tolerance, particularly among young people.
He stated that President Bola Tinubu is committed to the country’s development but requires time to make the necessary reforms.
He said; “Why the news about the protest got to the highest point at the moment is because Kenya had an outing. Kenya is a smaller country compared to 240 million people. Kenya is a small country compared to Nigeria. We can’t be taking examples of this kind of ugly outing from countries like Kenya.
“I don’t mince words. I said it on the floor of the parliament. They (Kenya) should copy from us. They should copy that when policies are laid down, these policies take time to mature for implementation.
“And we should show them that there are non-kinetic approaches to the resolutions of issues rather than conflict, coercion and crisis.
“Why are we the bigger brothers in Africa if we do what lesser countries do? What example are we giving to them?
“If we carry on with this protest, a lot of other smaller countries would be involved because Nigeria has done it. We would not be doing only this nation a disservice, the subregion would go into chaos as well as Africa as a continent.
“We have to think about those who are watching us as their big brother and look at where the solutions lie.”
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli