Democracy Day: Protesters gather in Ibadan, demand good governance
By Adejayan Gbenga
Some angry protesters on Thursday marched through major streets in Ibadan to mark the 2025 Democracy Day, demanding accountability and good governance.
The protesters also decried economic hardship and the lack of genuine electoral reforms in the country.
Displaying placards with various inscriptions, they marched from Mokola to Adamasingba, Dugbe, and nearby areas, demanding action from governments at all levels.
Some of the placards read: “End Hunger,” “We Are Dying of Hunger,” “End Insecurity,” “Reverse All IMF/World Bank Anti-Poor Policies,” and “End Attacks on Democratic Rights; For Genuine Electoral Reform.”
Addressing the crowd at Mokola Roundabout, former Chairman of the University of Ibadan branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Ademola Aremu, said, “We are saying attention should be given to insecurity. We want people to be able to sleep well. We want people to travel with peace of mind. We are saying farmers should go back to their farms and be able to cultivate. This is what we want from our governments.”
Aremu, who is the Coordinator of the Joint Action Front (JAF), later led the protesters to other parts of the city.
One of the protesters, Segun Adeyemi, told WESTERN POST that the peaceful protest was held to press home demands the government has neglected over the years, adding that the welfare of citizens cannot be overemphasized.
Security operatives, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, officers of the Department of State Services, and scores of policemen, followed the peaceful protesters in their vehicles and were positioned at strategic points to ensure law and order.
