Sudanese cleric Ambassador Al-Mustapha Bala Assudany has cautioned Nigerians, particularly youths, against protesting over economic hardship, warning that it may not yield positive results.
Amid rising inflation and economic challenges, some Nigerians have scheduled nationwide protests from August 1 to August 10. Despite appeals from the government, religious leaders, and traditional rulers for a reconsideration, the organizers remain determined to proceed.
During a pre-Huduba sermon at the Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna, Assudany urged youths not to allow the country’s enemies to incite them into destructive actions. Drawing from his own experience as a Sudanese citizen, he recounted the events leading to civil war in Sudan, which started with peaceful protests but ended in significant turmoil.
He warned that external forces might be provoking Nigerian youths in the same way, potentially leading to chaos and bloodshed. Assudany highlighted the devastation in countries like Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan, which all faced destruction following what began as peaceful demonstrations.
He emphasized that Nigerians should learn from Sudan’s experience to avoid similar outcomes, noting that currently, 2% of Sudan’s population have been displaced and many have fled to other countries due to the ongoing conflict.
“Before they started talking about the planned protest in Nigeria, it happened in some Muslim countries like Syria, Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, and Sudan. I’m a Sudanese citizen and what happened in Sudan was the same thing that happened in other Muslim countries.”
“When I heard about the planned protest in Nigeria, I felt as a Muslim I should share the experience of what I saw in Sudan and what happened in other Muslim countries. Economic hardship was responsible for all the protests witnessed in those countries. That was what led people to protest in Sudan, thinking a solution would come through protest.
“Those that started were Sudanese citizens in an attempt to draw the attention of the government to end their hardship. But the opposition groups that were against the government penetrated them because every government has opposition. This was what led to the chaos in the country.
“Some foreign countries also took advantage of the protest and came into the country. They were the ones sponsoring these youths and supporting them. This led to regime change in the country but despite that there was no peace in the country.
“Many people thought after the regime changed there would be peace in the country but it turned out to cause more chaos across the country. As we speak, Khartoum, which is the capital of Sudan, has been completely destroyed and the residents fled.
“The war spread to other parts of the country. There was crisis everywhere, people being killed in villages, women raped, kidnapped, and sold as slaves in foreign lands. This is why I’m calling on Nigerians, especially the youth, not to allow themselves to be used by the enemies of the country to destroy their country. This is because nothing good will come out of the protest but destruction.
“This is because Nigeria has bigger challenges compared to us in Sudan because in Sudan majority of the citizens are Muslims and yet are killing themselves, what about Nigeria with tribal, religious, and ethnic differences? What do you think will happen if after the regime change? Do you think there will be somebody that can caution the youths against future protest?”
He further prayed for peace and harmony in Nigeria and called on the leadership to take necessary actions to alleviate the economic hardship in the country.
