#EndSars: "We Are Not Your Enemies"–Coalition of Nigeria Entertainers President, Nwiya jnr Says

Following the #EndSarsMemorial protest that has engulfed the country and the call by some sections of the country that Nigeria Entertainers are responsible for the #EndSars protest, the national president of Coalition of Nigeria Entertainers, Kenule Nwiya jnr has advised people peddling such rumours and allegations to desist from it.

The national president who made this known at a press conference in Abuja recently stated that entertainers are Nigerians and are youths, so they have every rights to partake in any protest like every Nigeria.

Nwiya jnr stated that although his organisation has been working tirelessly to inform the people on the hazardous effect of police brutality, he believes that the Nigeria Police Force and the Coalition of Nigeria Entertainers have a lasting collaborative job to do.

He promised his organization's support for the Police with a visit to show solidarity that not all uniform men are bad.

His words:" It's so sad that people are tying the #EndSars protest to members of the creative industry practitioners. Entertainers are good citizens of Nigeria who add value to the Nigerian economy. We are also aware that the entertainment industry accommodate 80 per cent of the youths. That's isn't enough to accuse the creative Industry that we are championing the #EndSars protest.

"We as creative industry practitioners have decided to enhance the country with our craft and talent. And of cause, our industry has added more value to our economy more than any other sectors of the economy, even as we are highly maginalised. That's also not enough to allow people sabotage our relationship with the government.

"We have smooth relationship with the federal government, state government and local government. Like I said, we are highly maginalised and that's not enough for us not to support the system.

"Now I'm out to make it clear that Nigerian youths have demanded for something and not just the creative industry. What we demand for is for inclusion to be part of decision making of what affects us. In as much as we haven't been carried along, we still support the government.

"For instance, during the COVID-19 era, other sectors like the agricultural sector got intervention from the federal government. But the creative Industry never got any intervention even as they were the most affected, because during that period there were no access to events, everybody was on lockdown.

"The Nigerian youths came out to protest against the Nigeria Police Force Unit (SARS) brutality. Most of our members were highly harassed and brutalised by them. Most of our members were killed , manhandled,raped, yet we didn't protest even though we had access to the top command of the Nigerian Police Force.

"It would interest you to know that we've been collaborating with the Nigeria Police Force for decades , running campaigns, even with the oppression of our people, yet, we did not protest. We reported the situation and justice was given to our members.

"However, we are aware that people are impersonating to be entertainers as a guise to commit crime. That's why we are calling on all creative Industry practitioners to go and identify with all creative Industry groups so that they can have their membership cards to enable the organisation to identify who's a criminal and who's a genuine practitioner. So the notion that entertainers are the ones organising the #EndSars protest should be rebuffed. They are not spearheading the protest but are among the Nigerians youths and are also feeling the pain too,"he explained.

The coalition president promised to visit the IG of police to intimate him with what the organisation has been doing and the the support they want in moving the country's economy forward.

"The Nigerian Youths have the right to call for the restructuring of the Nigeria Police Force and salary increment for the police. We know that the new Inspector General of Police (IG) is a man with listening ear. Plans are on top gear to visit him and also run some partnership programmes with them that would enhance our country and economy,"he concluded.

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