By: Thomas Abidoye
A massive protest erupted in Osun State on Thursday as the Coalition of Concerned Youth rallied against fraudulent practices by house agents.
Protesters, led by Speaker of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria, Osun State Chapter, Rt. Hon. Fatomi Dare Hammed, who gathered at the entrance of Osun State Government Secretariat In Osogbo, expressed frustration over what they described as exploitation by unscrupulous landlords and agents.
Fatomi declared that young people in Osun are tired of being “robbed in broad daylight” by greedy house agents and landlords.
Protesters accused agents of demanding excessive inspection fees for properties that either do not exist or fall below acceptable standards.
They also lamented landlords’ demands for inflated rent fees, often turning basic amenities into luxury services.
The coalition stated that despite writing letters to the government and House of Assembly, their concerns were met with “SILENCE.”
“This protest is a declaration of our dignity, our worth, and our right to live decently,” Fatomi said, emphasizing the peaceful nature of the demonstration.
Protesters chanted slogans demanding an end to exploitative practices, vowing to reclaim their right to affordable housing.
Parts of Fatomi Speech Obtained by AMILOADED reads, “Today is not an ordinary day. Today is the day we rise, not in violence, but in unity.
“Today, we lift our voices, not in hatred, but in hope. Today, we march not just withour feet, but with our hearts full of courage and souls filled with conviction.
“We are here because we are tired. Tired of being exploited. Tired of getting robbedin broad daylight by greedy house agents and landlords who exploit ourdesperations.
“We are here because in a state blessed with intellect, culture, talent and promise, a basic human right like shelter has become a fraudulent scheme to oppress us.
“As young people, every day we search, hope and sometimes beg for a safe and
decent place to lay our heads…yet, agents and landlords seize this opportunity to exploit and even scam us of our hard-earned money.
“Agents are charging us excessive inspection fees for houses they don’t even own or meet our expectations.
“Landlords are demanding bogus fees in rents by turning basic housing features to luxuries we have to pay premium fees for. And a lot more we can’t even begin to mention.
“Is this how we want to continue to live? I believe “NO” is the answer. And that is
why we are here today.
“This protest is a declaration of our dignity, our worth, and our right to live decently without getting exploited by greedy landlords and dubious agents.
“Let no one twist our intention, we are not here for chaos. We are simply requesting for our demands to be granted. We have waited. We wrote letters to the government. We reached out to the House of Assembly.
“We even postponed an earlier scheduled protest out of respect for peace. But all we got was “SILENCE”.
“Now, we will be silent no more. Our demands are not impossible. They are reasonable. They are lawful. They are long overdue.
“We are not the government’s enemy. We are not the problem. We are the engine
and future of this state. And we must be listened to.
“We don’t want crooked landlords and agents enriched at the expense of our sufferings anymore.So, my people, raise your head high. Your voice matters. Your life matters. Your
struggle is valid.
“Let the world see how organized, peaceful, and powerful we are
when we unite.Let this protest be written in the history of Osun as the day we
stood tall to reclaim our right to decent and affordable housing.
“Let us march with purpose. Let us stand as one. Let us protest with peace.”