The spiritual leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has issued a stern warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, cautioning that neglecting the needs of Nigerian youths could spark serious unrest in the near future.
Speaking through his media aide, Oluwatosin Osho, on Friday, the cleric revealed that Nigerian youths are already making plans for a large-scale protest against the current administration.
According to him, these protests will be driven by growing frustration over worsening economic conditions and unmet expectations since Tinubu took office.
Primate Ayodele stressed that the federal government must act swiftly to introduce meaningful empowerment and job creation initiatives targeted at the youth before 2026, as a means of stabilizing the administration.
“The youths are planning a surge against Tinubu’s government, they want to protest against the economy, election, and some other things frustrating them. I want the president to make a strong move on the youth matter so it won’t cause his government problems,” he warned.
He emphasized the need for President Tinubu to maximize the capabilities of the Minister of Youth, describing him as a capable and attentive figure who understands how to engage with young Nigerians.
“Create empowerment and employment for the youth before May 2026. This isn’t part of the things that will make you win, but you must do to stabilize your government.
“The youths will go on a rampage. Don’t take the youths for granted. You should not enable youths for thuggery, but for the betterment of the country, create jobs for them, empower the best students in tertiary institutions, and do more for them.
“You have a very talented youth minister who listens to advice and knows how to get to the youth. Utilize him adequately for this purpose,” he added.
Primate Ayodele further advised the president not to focus solely on privileged or popular youth demographics, particularly those residing in affluent areas such as Lekki, Ikoyi, and the Island.
“Don’t take the youths for granted, and we are not talking about ‘Big Boys’ youths, those ones don’t vote. We are not talking about Lekki, Ikoyi, Island youths, I mean youths from the grassroots, they don’t have to be famous, we are not talking about internet youths,” he said.
He urged the president to take a nationwide approach to youth empowerment and inclusion in policy reforms to avoid backlash.
“You should go to different states and places to empower youths, carry them along in your reforms; otherwise, it will be used against you,” he stated.
