The Oyo State government, under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde, has declared Friday, June 27, as a work-free day for workers in the state.

The declaration was conveyed in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Olanike Adeyemo, on Wednesday, June 25.

Naijaonpoint reports that the day was declared work-free in commemoration of Hijrah, the beginning of the new Islamic calendar.

The statement called on Muslims and other residents in the state to celebrate the Islamic New Year and reflect on the spiritual significance of the period.

Governor Makinde urged the people of the state to use the period to pray for sustained peace, unity and prosperity of Oyo state and Nigeria by extension.

“The Governor enjoins all and sundry to use the occasion to pray for the peace, unity and prosperity of the state in particular, and the country in general,” the statement read in part.

According to the statement, all public institutions and offices across the state are to observe the holiday.

Meanwhile, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has asserted that the government is more afraid of unarmed protesters than violent threats.

Naijaonpoint reports that Sowore made this known during an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday, while condemning the government’s ongoing persecution of peaceful protesters.

Asked whether he believed the government feared demonstrators, Sowore said, “I do. I do completely. They are afraid of placards more than they are afraid of guns, because they have the capacity to respond to people who are shooting at the government, but they have no capacity, they have no ability, and they have no strategy to stop the majority.

“People in their light numbers carrying placards are more dangerous than people in their light numbers carrying guns.”