The Nation Newspaper

Tag: youth

  • The youth and the used

    I have always been fascinated by the words ‘youth’ and ‘used’ especially in their onomatopoetic rendition as they relate to the youths of Nigeria and their fathers and grandfathers who still delude themselves that they are young, and have refused to yield grounds for the young ones.

    About 25 years ago Afro-Juju superstar Shina Peters crooned that the dawn of the youth had arrived and the old should give way for the new: ‘This is the time of the youth and elders should not begrudge us’, he pleaded in a strong voice.

    Twenty-five years down the line, nothing has changed. If anything, the Nigerian youths had been exposed to the most trying time imaginable. Millions of them have been left wallowing in poverty as they roamed the streets of major cities in search of non-existent jobs and opportunities. Several graduates of tertiary institutions have been forced into crimes and criminality, and those of them who are not very physically daring have taken to frauds and all sorts of shady pre-occupation. The young women in this frustrated class have taken to disguised prostitution or full-blown harlotry.

    In jokes with the younger ones, I always teased that they are the youth, and I am the used! Of course at Septuagenarian age one is clearly and definitely used unless one belongs in the school of Enrich Ibsen’s Solness in the Master Builder. But today I am not joking. I am referring to a major issue confronting our country in the face of the Change we clamoured for which is due to take off come May 29.

    One of the greatest challenges the Buhari government is bound to confront is the issue of the restless, almost hopeless Nigerian youths and how they will be immediately rehabilitated.

    In my article titled The Vote of the Unemployed, I analysed how majority of those who were likely to vote for Buhari and damn Jonathan were the millions of unemployed citizens of this country. Specific reference was made of the teeming youths in their millions and entrepreneurs whose factories and plants have been forced to close shop due to the Federal Government’s failure to provide succour to its citizens.

    In a conversation with a younger colleague Dr Akinniyi Sowunmi last week, the highly cerebral communication scholar opined that while he recognized Buhari as the symbol of change, it was the vote AGAINST Jonathan that won the election for him [Buhari]. If Buhari [and the APC] would not like to be voted against in four years time, work must begin from today to prevent such eventuality.

    The youth rejected Jonathan and voted against him.

    What this means is that the Buhari government about to take off must assign a big role to the youth who believe rightly that this incoming government is their own. Even though we are not particularly good with records and statistics, if proper check is made it will be confirmed that the youths were clearly in the majority of those who took the trouble to vote on March 28.

    It is unfortunate that the Nigerian youths have been short-changed for so long and as I lamented in my article titled Nigeria’s Adult Children, 45-year-olds in certain circumstances are still considered as youths in Nigeria. There are hundreds of thousands of 40-year-olds who are yet to find their feet in Nigeria. Many in age bracket 35-40 are still in tertiary institutions, jobless, unmarried and heavily dependent on their parents and guardians!

    This is why this article will include 50-year-olds who have never had any opportunity to actualise their dreams amongst the youth-bracket. The youth of Nigeria must be empowered. They must be given a big role in this incoming government of Change.

    This is where the Used come in. The Used in Nigeria have made themselves a recurring decimal. Some have served as governor, senator, minister, local government chairperson, chairman of several boards, and yet they simply refuse to go and yield opportunity for the young ones; the youth.

    It is gratifying that the President-elect had assured Nigerians that there would be no room for proven corrupt individuals in his administration. But he should go further to ensure that all those who have made a career of politics and political jobbery do not crowd the corridors of power in this government of Change, except in special cases of those who made huge contributions to the emergence of the new government and who in the process have suffered hugely in the hands of the opposition. Without going the whole hog of mentioning names, there are past governors, progressive legal luminaries and other top-class technocrats whose expertise will enrich Buhari’s government even if such individuals had held government positions before.

    However, the used should please take a back seat in the in-coming government. There are hundreds of thousands of top-notch technocrats amongst the Youth of Nigeria and they must be sought out even if they are currently in the Diaspora. Nigeria is blessed. Let us try the untainted youth who are eager to serve their fatherland even at the topmost level of government. We cannot afford to continue to deny our youths opportunities in governance.

    Our President will be 73 in December, let the bulk of those who will be in his administration be in age bracket 30-50. Chief Richard Akinjide was Federal Minister of Education in the first Republic at age 27. M T Mbu was Nigeria’s High Commissioner in the UK at around age 25.  Bode Thomas was about 30 years old when he held sway as a  Leader of the Action Group while Chief Sonibare achieved all his accomplishments before he passed on at 43!

    My generation and several generations before mine had continued to deceive the young ones that they were the leaders of tomorrow. The question our restive youth are now asking is ‘When will the tomorrow come?’ For many of them the tomorrow was yet to come even 20 years after graduating from the university!

    The Buhari government is believed to want to fix the moment and prepare a greater future for Nigerians. If the future belongs to the youth, they have a right to be involved in that preparation. If the dinner is meant for them, they should be involved in its preparation and even in choice making regarding the kind of meal meant for their throats.

    The Youths should be given the opportunity to prove their mettle. The Used should thank God for all that they had had the opportunity to accomplish. And if I want to go with grave yard humour, I would say the Young shall grow and the Old shall die!!!

  • We remain committed to youth empowerment

    The chairman of Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Ibrahim Daniel has reiterated commitment of the council to provide skills acquisition for youths in the area.

    Daniel, in an interview, stated that apart from the many programmes to be organised in the council for such purposes, the council will also in conjunction with FCT administration create an atmosphere for job creation.

    “There is an empowerment programme we will do in conjuction with FCT administration. We will benefit from it and it will help them be creator of jobs.

    Although, within the council through the office of the first lady, we have trained them and we will also give them micro loans, to help them continue with the skills they have learnt and teach other ones.

    “We want to ensure that there is multiplying effect it. If we have had 15 people that have learnt the skill, now we have about 50 people. Those 50 people will also train others and within a year, we would have trained more people. We have done a lot. We have sent some of them to China were they went to learn some skills,” he said.

    On the various projects in the council, the chairman said some of the projects have been completed, while some are at the point of completion, thereby pledged the council’s commitment to complete them in due course, so that the residents will benefit from them.

    “We had initiated some projects when we came into office like the boreholes, road projects. We re-awarded Angwan Kashun Road, which has been completed. The Yangoji-Dafa Road also has been completed.

    “The Dabo-Bako township road is ongoing. The council has achieved about 60 per cents of the project. The contractor is waiting for mobilization, in order to finish the job. We are aiming to complete it within the second quarter of 2015,” he said.

  • Nigeria needs her youth

    The Dean of Student Affairs, FUNAAB, Prof Yemi Akegbejo-Samson, has disclosed that the country cannot attain enviable heights without active contributions of its youths.

    Akegbejo-Samson spoke during a students’ programme, which featured an inter-collegiate oratory competition, the launch of a motivational book, “A Better Nigeria without Me”, and the unveiling of the proposed ultra-modern relaxation centre.

    The Dean advised young Nigerians not to allow themselves to be used as vandals or political thugs, but stand up for themselves and not disappoint their country because a better Nigeria without them was impossible.

    “Other Nigerians might have failed themselves, but I will not fail my country,” he said.

    The Book Reviewer, Dr Sarah Iyasere, urged Nigerians to take their destinies into their hands because the unity of Nigeria was not negotiable, as the people have roles to play in the development of the country, saying there is no Nigeria without Nigerians.

  • ITF trains 74,000 youths in technical, vocational skills

    ITF trains 74,000 youths in technical, vocational skills

    • Partners OPS

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has trained 74,000 young Nigerians  in different technical and vocational trades, its Director-General, Dr. Juliet Chukkas – Onaeko, has said.

    Speaking during a stakeholders’ engagement forum in Lagos on Zero Oil Policy and Economic Growth: The ITF Perspective, she said the programme was ongoing.

    She appealed to stakeholders for support and collaborate to consolidate on the ongoing training programmes in the different sectors of the economy.

    She said: “So far, 74, 000 young Nigerians have been trained in different technical and vocational trade areas. Most of the trainees secured employment immediately on  completion of their training, while a large number of them have established businesses of their own and are doing well.”

    Mrs. Chukkas–Onaeko said the technical skills development programme is being run using facilities of employers in different parts of the country and ITF Skills Training Centres, adding that over 2,300 trainees have so far benefitted from this partnership.

    She also said ITF has entered into technical collaboration with Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria (CTIN) for the training of craftsmen and artisans in the construction industry.

    She said the Federal Government has introduced various policies to reform the economy in order to place it on sustainable economic growth and stability.

    She said: “As a proactive organisation, we have acquired four mobile workshops to complement our existing industrial skills training centres. These will increase accessibility to skills training in all nooks and crannies of the country and ensure that our young men and women acquire relevant skills to fit into existing and new jobs.

    “The ITF has also refocused its training programme to equip two million youths annually with employable and life skills required for self and paid employment. We hope that the outcome will be drastic reduction in unemployment and restiveness across the country.”

    The ITF boss said most of the trainees secures employment immediately after completion of their training, while large number of them have established businesses on their own and are doing well. “This laudable programme is on-going and we need your support and collaboration to strengthen and consolidate it,” she said.

    Mrs. Chukkas – Onaeko said ITF is also in partnership with Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) for the training of young Nigerians in various skills, adding that the Technical Skill Development Programme (TSDP) is being run using facilities of employers in different parts of the country and ITF’s skills training centre.

    According to her, the seminar is expected to attend to all concerns.  “We shall highlight the key activities of ITF;  the collaborations we have made over the years and the various reforms we are putting in place to support the Federal Government policy to transit from oil to other sectors,” she said.

    Mrs. Chukkas – Onaeko, said in line with trends in the international community, the Federal Government has introduced various policies to reform the economy and place it on a sustainable economic growth and stability.

    Of particular importance was the launch of the Transformation Agenda, which emphasised growth in manufacturing, agriculture, power, solid minerals, tourism, road infrastructure and other critical sectors of the economy. The follow up launch of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) and National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) policies were to ensure that our quantitative advantage was turned to productive gains.

    She said the NIPR focuses on economic and revenue diversification in industrial sectors where Nigeria has comparative advantage, adding that supporting structures such as infrastructure, skills, finance, investment climate, innovation, standards and local patronage are being initiated to ensure sustainability.

  • Youth threaten showdown over Bonny Ring Road

    The youths of Bonny in Rivers State under the aegis of Bonny Youth Federation, have threatened to shut down all the oil facilities and companies in the area over lack of developmental projects.

    The leader of the group, Mr. Simeon Wilcox, a lawyer, at a news conference in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, lamented that 20 years after, the Bonny Ring Road remains uncompleted.

    He said if the abandoned ring road is completed it would link the satellite towns and communities in order to facilitate economic activities within the communities.

    Wilcox noted that the youths would not take it for granted anymore with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and other companies operating in the area, if their policies cannot be favourable to the host communities.

    He further stated that the youths are going to sustained protest against SPDC and other companies operating in the area if after two weeks of this press briefing nothing happens.

    “We gathered here today in order to highlight some of the incidences that have brought the gross neglect and blatant disregard for the community. We are not happy that in spite of the economic position of Bonny its people are still living in abject poverty.

    “Bonny has earned the reputation of being one of the most peaceful communities in Rivers State. This is in spite of its socio-economic difficulties such as unskilled workforce, massive youth’s restiveness, agitation, infrastructure deficit and insecurity.

    “We are calling on the stakeholders and well meaning Nigerians to know that Bonny youths will always follow the path of peace and champion the mechanisms that will enhance the peace and harmony enjoyed by the people of Bonny Island.”

     

  • In March…

    • (Youth and the ballot box)

    We say because we belong to the divide that everybody calls “have-nots,” there is nothing we could do to have our say and actualise it. We do not belong to the “have-nots.” Do we?

    If we do, then let me make good to say that promising as we are touted to be, our promise has been tainted by perversion and shame. Our songs of hope are tainted by defeat and our most promising image is yet ravaged and austere.

    For we have become unfaithful to a land that gave us life and sustains it, still. The hope we know still prospers as eternal defeatism – for we remain unfaithful to a land devoid of catastrophe and hopelessness save that which we have learnt to visit upon it, from our fathers.

    Our best years hardly lie ahead. Perhaps they do. Who knows…the hopelessness we swore to diminish may finally disappear. Our best years may truly lie ahead, if we could squeeze the juice of youth to nourish atrophy.

    Today, a wonderful thing is happening to you and me. The chance we seek has landed within our reach. It had always been within reach, we have only been too cowardly to seize it.

    Juvenile as we are, in character and mind; we get to enjoy such wonderful chances to play adult, again. How responsible shall we be, as adults? Such rare opportunity which we get to rekindle starlight in our darksome skies hardly presents itself in several nations of the freeborn.

    This March, shall we dispense our mandate as the freeborn who do not know how to be free? Shall we resort to genocide and war as our neighbours for whom the bullet resounds more than a thousand votes? Shall we turn our neighbourhoods and public parks to theatres of devastation and the grotesque?

    Or shall we dispense our affairs as ones who have learnt, finally, the wisdom in diligence and unselfishness? Shall this be the moment we get to put a lie to every manner of delinquency and hideousness that have been ascribed to us? Is this the epoch of the Nigerian youth?

    It is. This is the moment in which we scorn the platitudes and benevolence of insufferable godfathers. This is the moment in which we court the bounteousness of hope astride the prick of faith. This is the moment in which we get to lead by our votes.

    By our votes, we could get to choose the leader with a will to truly serve. By our votes, we could begin to unlearn every perfidy that we have learnt…we could unschool our hearts of the hypocrisy that drives us to beatify shams and delusions as the soundest of truths while we canonise reality as the genesis of farce.

    By our votes, we could end our sojourn on the roads where our heartfelt hopes lay famished. It’s time we acknowledged that we had never known better. It’s time we cast our votes like ones who truly know better.

    By our votes, we could choose our preferred candidate in the light of our most pressing goals, the possibilities of projecting them in time and achieving them via conscious and concerted efforts. One man to a vote, we could subject every platitude and cheap-talk to the scrutiny of exhaustive retrospection and candour.

    We could show predators we ennobled with power that we shan’t be taken by their promises of free meals, free amenities and infrastructure anymore. We could help them to understand that we understand that in the normal conditions of existence, there is hardly any free meal.

    We could tell them that it is the duty of every elected representative to provide among other things; good roads and electricity, security and a stable economy; for we do pay for them – quite painfully too. That is why they deplete our income by tax.

    By our votes, we could substantiate the arguments we espouse. We could breathe life into the most brilliant chapters of Karl Marx and like the late philosopher and economist, illumine the agonies of the working class.

    Every man to his vote, we could command the workings of politics and materialism beyond feckless excitation and sham-talk. By our votes, we could propound that timeless political philosophy we never had.

    This is the moment in which we actualise the success of a mass revolution, the triumph of the bread lines and the re-emerging middle class. This is the moment in which we put lie to the claim that the bread lines are incapable of determining society by themselves.

    This is the moment in which we defy the enticement of deep-pockets and their bromated loaves, cudgels, clubs and hard currencies.

    It would simply not do to explode in rant and idle cynicism anymore. It would no longer do to detonate in gripe and over-celebrated soapboxes. We owe it to ourselves to survive self-destruct by ideals much better than those our modern statesmen extract from impotent arsenals of misinterpreted politics and dogma.

    This is the time to cast our votes in revolution predicated on the satisfaction of basic necessities: bread for the hungry, land for the peasants and peace to end the barbarism of the privileged few breaking our virgin foals roughshod.

    Revolutions are born because spirited patriots decide to react. Then it spreads like wildfire in harmattan to incite the guts of latent spirits. This time around, let it excite the conscience of even the most treacherous citizen.

    Today, our talk is of Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari. There is nothing to be said, at this point in time. The hour of decision has stolen on us. Let us now elect the one whose appreciation of our relative realities in the light of that which seems unknowable and irresolvable seems incontestable.

    Let us now give our mandate to the candidate whose philosophy of governance repudiates and sufficiently resolves the predicament of those whose plight the State is incapable of improving – beyond time-worn rhetoric that it is socio-politically incorrect for such unquenchable terror to exist.

    Shall we now appoint the one whose evaluation and projection of our given concretes unlike the other contestants’ exacts the most probable if not practicable outcomes in the throes of ruthlessly objective and rational processes of thought and actions.

    Let us now elect the one capable of standing unbending before the interminable storm of our brutishness and impatience even while we pick him apart. Let us elect the one capable of repair in wisdom and action even as he braves the savagery of impatient citizenry and self-styled activists.

    Let him be the one whose blueprint for the provision and sustenance of good roads, electricity, standard health care and security, stable economy and quality education among others revalidates our hope in the supremacy of democratic ethos we are yet to enshrine.

    This is the moment in which we cast our votes with faith…faith in the ballot process, democracy and State. Let him be the one whose soul we have endeavoured to explore that we may be capable of trust.

    Bet you will claim you have found the candidate of such principle, depth and character. Who? We shall get the type of government that we deserve.

  • How not to empower the youth

    The qualityof the youth can be a parameter by which the future of any nation can be measured. If the youth are relegated to the background in the scheme of things, the failure of such society becomes imminent. This, therefore, reinforces the belief that youth empowerment is key in nation-building.

    There is no gainsaying the fact future lies with the youth. In unmistakable terms, empowering the youth means investing in the future. The former Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Mr Koffi Annan, said: “Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. If empowered, they can be the agents for development and peace. If they are left on society’s margins, all of us will be impoverished…”

    But how do we empower the youths? It is sad that youth empowerment as a concept has been a mockery in Nigeria nowadays. Politicians have continued to abuse the very philosophy of the ideal. To them, it is all about giving the youth tricycles and motorcycles for commercial transport. Of course, such gestures certainly help them financially, but this is far from youth empowerment, which is a complete transformation of young one through capacity building and active participation in decision making process.

    Youth empowerment is characterised by certain factors, which include sound education, policy making involvement and innovation. Education propels the youth to a state of self-dependence, thereby making them to contribute meaningfully to national growth. An educated youth will not only be enlightened, but will gain exposure spiced with confidence and positive mindset.

    Diogenes Leartius observed: “The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.” As a nation, are we making education as a cardinal programme in youth empowerment? Until we do away with obsolete tradition of emphasising on certificate and exams-grade education, and not on attention to learning, capacity building and skill acquisition, a true youth development may continue to be a mirage.”

    How much of the youth are involved in decision making processes? While the elder may rely on their traditional knowledge to formulate policies and make decision, youths can change the society with their innovative minds. Even if they cannot to contribute state matters satisfactorily, the mere involvement gives them the sense of belonging and also prepares them as experienced successors.

    The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon advises: “Let us acknowledge and celebrate what the youth can do to build a safer, more just world. Let us strengthen our efforts to include young people in policies, programme and decision-making processes that benefit their futures and ours.”

    As a young man, I know what I can achieve with my innovative mind. Ditto, many other youths. But, do we have good platforms that support and encourage abilities of the youth? There may have been several platforms, including this space, which The Nation reserves for budding writers; but, we need more to engage ourselves and our leaders constructively for a better country.

    Students had risen to several historic events, where their number and contributions were needed to effect changes in the society. They had pursued popular causes that turned out to be beneficial to the society and people. But, politicians and management have weakened the spirits of students by actions or policies that negate the essence of youth development.

    Many students have been victimised in the process of making contributions to a cause that can benefit the society. Some students now see the unionism as an avenue to amass wealth and mingle with the elite. This is the reason why National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has become moribund and an club for hooligans and errand boys for politicians.

    Before a nation could claim to have empowered its youths, it must have reduced unemployment to the barest minimum. The number of unemployed young people is increasing exponentially. This is consequence of failed education system and unhealthy business environment. It accentuates the need to make our education more practical and skill-oriented. It should be able to make the youth self-reliant. In addition, there is the need to stabilise and consolidate the achievements in the power sector to aid healthy business investment.

    Furthermore, the youths should be encouraged to learn new skills or to develop their innate abilities even while in school. Many potential abound in the youths that could change the face of the society if tapped into. Some are good writers, poets, actors, athletes, footballers, fashion designers, painters, singers, entrepreneurs, graphic designers etc.  These are untapped talents that can help solve the problems of unemployment and youth restiveness.

    I will use the case of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) to show what lack of good programmes for the youths can breed. Not developing the young minds causes disruption of the social order. Uneducated youths feel hopeless and ready to vent their frustrations on the society which neglect them.

    We must know that the youth have a lot of energy and potential that can be tapped into for the benefit of the society. If we fail to re-design youth empowerment, the young one will become a threat to national peace and progress. And on this inevitability of youth development for Nigeria’s progress and survival, I stand.

     

    •Kingsley just finished from Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, UNN

  • Youth programme in Alimosho

    A group, Peculiar Youth International Initiative, in conjunction with Alimosho Local Government, is organising a teenage grooming programme, titled: “Life as a Teenager”.

    It is scheduled to take place at the local government secretariat hall tomorrow by 10am.

    Expected at the event is a motivational speaker, Comrade Awa Bamiji, who is the executive president, Bola Ige Centre for Justice and national coordinator.

  • Youth leader injured in crash

    Youth leader injured in crash

    Lagos State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Chairman Comrade Taofeek Gbadebo was injured in an accident on Isiwu-Ikorodu Road last Thursday night.

    An 18-seater bus heading towards Epe hit Gbadebo’s car at Adamo bus stop at 8: 45 p.m.

    His Mitsubishi Gallant, with number-plate NYCN 01, was damaged.

    Gbadebo sustained injuries in his eyes, nose and arms.

    The windscreen of his car was shattered and the driver’s door condemned.

    The tyre, shock absorber and side mirrors were also affected.

    The bus veered into the bush and hit a log, resulting in the shattering of the rear windscreen.

    Gbadebotold The Nation that no one was injured in the bus.

    “It was shocking; I can’t really say how it happened. All I know was that it was in the night. I saw the bus coming and the next thing I heard was a bang. We hit ourselves. When I saw the wreck of my car, I immediately took a bike to the nearest hospital for treatment; because I noticed that blood was oozing out of my nose, even as I experienced sharp pains in my eyes and arms,” he said.

    The NYCN leader blamed the accident on the bad road.

    According to him, the bus driver was trying to avoid potholes and collided with him

    “There are lots of potholes on that road; it’s actually a federal road and most vehicles avoid plying the road due to the potholes. The driver was trying to do same, which led to the collision,” he said.

    Asked if he is pressing for any compensation, Gbadebo said: “I am not.”

    “I just thank God that no life was lost. Will I be pressing for compensation from the grave if I had died?” he asked.

  • Youth told not to sell their votes 

    Youth in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been advised to vote wisely and not sell their birthrights in the forthcoming general elections.

    Mr Justice Duncan, a social speaker and the coordinator of Youth Alive For Progress (YAFP), a nongovernmental organization which champions the course of the youth, mostly in the FCT, said that the time for Nigerian youth to stand up for their right is now or never, that if they fail to do it now, it will take another four years to be corrected.

    According to Duncan, who spoke during an electoral sensitization campaign in Abuja, the government of Nigeria led by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has taken the youth for granted for too long, by using them during elections and abandoning them after they get into offices.

    “The politicians have used us for too long, without considering our plight or how we survive during these hard times. During elections they will make all sort of promises without fulfilling anyone them. When we look for them in their offices, they will use tight security to prevent us from entering, because, we are no longer useful to them.

    “All these have to stop now, the using youth for political violence because of peanuts given to them, has to stop now. If they want to use anybody for violence, they should go and use their children. We should not allow them to use us and dump us again, because, we are not rags. We should not sell our birthrights for little pennies and suffer in future.

    “It is time for us in the FCT and entire Nigeria to stand up for our right and vote for a government that we remove us from this prolonged struggles, corruption, killings and maladministration that we are experiencing in Nigeria today. The youth are the life-wire of the society, so we should prove that to our leaders.