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A PEACE Ambassador and Executive Director of Nigeria Business Forum-Ghana, Chief Oyeyemisola Fatuyi, has lashed out at African Presidents and religious leaders for keeping quite over the inhumane treatment being meted out to some youth in Togo, which has led to many deaths and injuries.

Addressing the media at the Accra Mall on Saturday, the Ambassador stated that the ongoing crisis in Togo was one that needed the iron hands of Presidents in Africa, but they had kept quiet over the crisis, a development he described as repugnant.

“I do not think President Gnassingbe is older than President Akufo-Addo or President Buhari or most African leaders; he is, in fact, quite younger than most of them. So why can’t they [African leaders] sit him [Gnassingbe] down and have closed door discussions with him to agree on the constitutional reforms the citizens are calling for?” he questioned.

The Executive Director entreated the youth in Africa to rise up and raise their voices against the crisis going on in Togo because “we are one people and whatever the outcome is, the crisis has the tendency of spreading to neighbouring countries.”

According to Chief Fatuyi, “it is very disheartening that majority of our youth are behind these derogatory actions; it is this same senseless young people who are employed into the police service, military and other security services and they are used against their fellow youth.

“We are young people and should be able to make our stands clear to our governments. Be it through social media campaigns or engaging in movements, we should employ any option available to us that would help us battle conflicts not only in Togo but other African countries too.”

Chief Fatuyi expressed disgust at religious leaders in Africa, saying “The western religion has overshadowed ours and most of our traditional leaders are in bed with politicians. Why then can’t a politician threaten to dethrone a traditional leader?

“Instead of all denominations of churches coming together to fast and pray, all they do is organise conferences, summits, and revivals to harvest offerings and donations from the poor people,” he stated.

The Executive Director criticised the international community as ‘not caring’ and called on Africans not to rely on them to come and solve “our problems for us.

“The United Nations and other western influencers claim to be supporting us with aids and grants but where does the money go? Why would they not make sure that unscrupulous leaders are dealt with?

“It’s a pity that each time I have to go and join a line at the gate of western embassies with all kinds of inhumane conditions just because I want to travel abroad for business or pleasure, while the same westerners enter our countries without visa,” he bemoaned.

Chief Fatuyi, who is currently in Abuja for a Peace Ambassadors’ Conference, shared in the interview with the DAILY HERITAGE how he was contributing in his role as a peace ambassador.

He said he was in talks with some elders and opinion leaders to organise various youth in Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria to sensitise them to international laws, their rights and how to properly call constitutional reforms.

He also said he believes that the creation of an Economic Community of West African States youth network that would cater for young men and women in times of crisis like this would be very instrumental.

“Our leaders are drunk with power, and the only way to liberate ourselves is if we change our mindset and realise that nobody can help us if we do not help ourselves, we are the young leaders of this continent, let us unite for a better Africa tomorrow.”