The Nation Newspaper

Tag: youths

  • AFAN seeks support for youth farmers

    The Vice President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Osun State, Mr. Moses Oladipupo, has called on the government to support youths who venture into farming.

    Oladipupo made the call in an interview in Osogbo, the Osun State capital

    He said the majority of youths who  returned to the farm were being discouraged because of the challenges.

    “The majority of the youth that returned to farming decried the hardship they were facing in their operations.

    “Many are complaining of the old system of farming and lack of funds for their operations,’’ he said.

    Oladipupo also said genuine farmers were being short-changed in the distribution of  farm  input, urging that this should be redressed.

    “The government should give farmers and those interested in farming land, good training and  funds while extension workers should be recruited  to monitor farming operations and production.

    “If the government could provide needed tools and materials, youth farmers would have no reason to quit farming,’’ he said.

    He called on the government to encourage small-scale farmers, adding that most government policies and programmes only focus  on  commercial farmers.

    “Small scale farmers are many and their production is what is sustaining the local market while commercial farmers produce for external markets.

    “For this reason, the government should concentrate more on small-scale farmers to  boost food production that would sustain the nation,’’ he said.

     

  • ‘I am obsessed with getting youths educated’

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, says he is obsessed with the youths aquiring education at all levels.

    Wamakko spoke when the members and Executives of the Sokoto State Law Students’ Association, Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto Chapter, paid him a courtesy call at his Gawon Nama Sokoto residence.

    ” This is to make the young ones become mature and productive, hence being responsible members of the society,” said a statement signed by Wamakko’s Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Bashir Rabe Mani.

    The statement continued: “Developing human beings means a lot and I am always happy to see the people educated.

    “Education is also key to success in life and when you give education to the youth, you have developed the society in its entirety.

    “Education is something an individual acquires to make him more organised and live a decent life for the benefit of himself and the society.”

    Wamakko said by giving education to youths, one is at war with illiteracy, idleness, drug abuse and other social vices.

    Wamakko said that explained his personal sponsoring of hundreds of students in Republics of Niger; Republic of Benin; Uganda, Pakistan, Turkey and United Kingdom, among others.

    Wamakko promised to sponsor the members of the association to the forthcoming Annual National Convention of Nigerian Law Students in Lagos, adding that he accepted the students’ request to be their Grand Patron as well the sponsor of their hitherto moribund Journal.

    Earlier, President of the association, Abdulmumini Abdullahi, had told the lawmaker that the visit was to seek his fatherly prayers and support to the group.

    Abdullahi also recalled that Wamakko, as governor of the state, approved the payment of the Law School registration fees for all the successful final year law students from the state before their departure to the institution.

    “Is not out of way to say you have become a father to all the citizens of the state and the members of the association. We, therefore, commend you for the outstanding contributions to law making, peace building and sustenance in the state and Nigeria, in general,” the students said.

  • Youths get awards at anniversary

    Youths get awards at anniversary

    The Breath of Life Youth Church has given awards to some of its members in recognition of their contributions to the growth and development of the Church in particular and the society in general. They were awarded at the Church’s 2nd anniversary held at Obanikoro, Lagos State writes OLATUNDE ODEBIYI.

    They were all smiles, looking gorgeous in their beautiful outfits, as they mounted the dais to receive their awards amid applause from guests. They were the cynosure of all eyes. Everyone felt like being an award recipient.

    They were recipients of awards from their church for their two years of hard work, commitment, sacrifice and service. All of these were part of the rewards for the youth of Breath of Life Youth Church in Obanikoro, Lagos penultimate week during the church’s 2nd year anniversary.

    Beautiful ushers in corporate outfits took guests to comfortable seats. The one-day ceremony began with prayers and praises to God.

    During the testimony time, about five youths shared theirs on how the Youth Church has transformed their lives to make meaningful impact in the society and influence others’ lives positively, as well as start up their own businesses and ministries.

    There were lots of side attractions in which talents were displayed both in rap, singing, poetry, drama, chant, spoken words, dance drums and other instruments, among others.

    Out of 28 nominees, eight youths emerged winners. The award session was supervised by  the Coordinator of the Church’s 2nd Year Anniversary Planning Committee, Pastor Onome Atife and Chief Executive Officer, Rmtproductions, Mrs Olukemi Odutola.

    A first-class student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Precious Bassey won the Academic Award; a musician,  Saladeen Zaquex  won the Best Artistic Performance Award;  Edidiong Benedict Jnr. won the Youth of the Year award for his outstanding commitment and contributions to the church.

    Velma Samuel won the Evangelist Award; a lady keyboardist,  Chinazor Anozie won the Musician of the Year Award.

    Most Innovative Trailblazer of the Year  Award was won by  Anuoluwapo Pelemo, for the outstanding ideas she presented to the Church. the Assistant Pastor of The Breath of Life Youth Church,  Isaac Runsewe received the Kingdom Choice Award for being an outstanding pacesetter in the youth ministry.

    Leadership Award was won by the Pastor of the youth Temitope Odebiyi who is also a drummer.  She was rewarded for her outstanding leadership performance in the Church.

    Odebiyi said, the award recipients are those who have shown commitment to service of the Church over the two years.

    “They have been committed with their time, ideas, money and innovation. Among the youth, these people stood out to be outstanding and this is why we decided to reward them. The award is to encourage and charge them to forge forward to the next level. Those who do not receive award should double their efforts and ensure that they do more in the coming year so that they can be different among their peers. She urged youths to be extraordinary in all they do,

    “Every young person in Nigeria, Africa and the world at large must have the mind of a transformer and transform everything around them. Youths should go into government, finance, oil and gas, banking and cause a transformation. All young persons should arise from their sleeping bed, and become a transformer.

    “Youths have a role to play in national development because they are called leaders of tomorrow. Youths have new ideas, they are young, energetic, vibrant and they think. We need the world to give them a chance.”

    She said the Church was established to harness the strength of young people, to lead them in the right direction.

    She said: “The devil has taken over the world, especially the heart of young people and we are trying to snatch them back from him.

    What we are doing with their strength is to ensure that they harness it and use it positively to influence the society both spiritually and socially,” she said.

    According to Atife the nation is going through challenges because the youth are not bracing up.

    “My message to the youth is that the opportunities are out there, the world does not give you what you deserve, you have to go out there and grab it for yourself.

    In the midst of kiosk there is always opportunities and solutions to be provided. The challenges we are currently facing in the country is an opportunity for youths to look into and provide solutions and they will be recognised for the solutions provided.”

    To the award recipients, he said: “To whom much is given, much is expected. The moment you have received an award, you are already recognised, a lot of people will be looking out for you, to confirm or check if you really deserve it. It is not just getting the award, it is your ability to sustain whatever you were doing that made you to get the award. All the award recipients should go back and think of the things that they did that brought them out and ensure that they do more.”

    One of the recipients, Zaquex who has just spent less than a year in the church, described the award as unexpected.

    “This is my first time in a church having an award. This award has given me strength, it has motivated me to serve God more, which means more are coming and I will go round the world. The Church is God-send; it changed my life, it gave me a reason to rap for God. I was rapping for the world, but within my short time here, I am able to rap for God and even get an award for it. I thank God for the youth church,

    My rapping ministry is for life and I will serve God with it and I want to bring people to Christ and let them know that God can accept them.”

    He urged youths to stay on what God has called them to do.

    “Do your thing; look inside of you and figure out what God has put inside of you. God gave everybody something to serve him with, just figure out yours and use it to serve Him. If you cannot figure out yours, come to the church, there are several workforce that you can join. Just work for God. Do something for Christ,” he said.

  • Youths urged to be focused, self-reliant

    Youths urged to be focused, self-reliant

    The youth have been advised to be focused and self-confident in order to realise their innate potential.

    The President of Amaimo People’s Assembly (APA), Mr Joseph Efuleshi gave the advice penultimate Sunday while addressing members of the group during their special prayer session and get-together at Costain area of Lagos State.

    The venue was enveloped in an air of brotherliness and friendship. It was, indeed, a gathering of who-is-who in this peaceful Imo community in Lagos.

    They also used the occasion to appraise the activities of the group in the outgoing year and to strategise for the New Year. Amaimo People’s Assembly is a socio-cultural group that works towards peace and unity in the society.

    Speaking on the need for parents and the elderly to live exemplary lives in order to serve as role models to the up-and-coming ones, Mr Efuleshi revealed that the Amaimo Community in Lagos will embark on some far-reaching programmes that will enhance the living condition of the people in the coming year.

    He said: “One of such programmes would be the mentoring platform in which those who are experienced in different fields of endeavours would share their experiences and knowledge with those who are less experienced. It may not take the form of the experienced teaching or coaching the less experienced people but may be in the mode of the mentor being a critical friend. The role of a critical friend is one of the most important, though most difficult, mentoring roles to successfully undertake.

    “It requires the mentor to listen, encourage, draw out, reflect back and challenge assumptions, and, if necessary, provide critical feedback on ideas or plans under discussion.

    The role requires giving constructive feedback, and strong emotional intelligence and awareness of feelings.

    We are lucky that our community is blessed with such high profile individuals who have distinguished themselves not only in the area of academics but also in the area of integrity and honesty. These attributes are much needed to bring up today’s youths for better tomorrow”.

    Still on ways youths could be of great help to themselves and the society, the community leader said:  “It is fundamental for youths to identify opportunities and apply their God-given talents in order to realise their potential. This will also enable them to recognise the added value small enterprises can engender by integrating their own skills and developing training programmes to improve creativity and enhance profitability and growth.

    “There are several opportunities for young people to excel in any field of endeavor so long as they are determined to so do. This is necessary because young people have new and innovative ideas but they just need someone to show them how to take their big idea to the next level for economic development.”

    He also stressed the need for unity and peace for a better society, even as he added that it is important for individuals who are not indigenous to Lagos State to live in peace with owners of the land and respect the laws of their host communities.

    He said: “We should understand the power of unity. We need to work in unity; we need to network. There is power in information sharing. Most people believe in one-man squad. They do it themselves alone. We can achieve more if we decide to love and serve God and we can attain appreciable level of achievement if we work together as a people, knowing what the other person is doing and engaging in serious networking.”

  • Youths attack worshippers in Kwara

    Youths attack worshippers in Kwara

    •Action is satanic, says Ahmed
    •Police: 10 persons arrested

    There was panic in Ibrahim Taiwo, Ilorin, Kwara State capital after some youths attacked Christian and Muslim worshippers on New Year’s eve.

    They were said to be performing their annual carnival.

    Three persons were allegedly injuried; vehicles and domestic items, worth millions, were destroyed.

    It was gathered that youths defied leaders of the area, who told them not to parade on New Year’s eve.

    Christian worshippers were attacked at many churches, including Methodist.

    Muslims, under the aegis of Quareeb Muslim Society, were attacked on school premises, where they gathered for prayers.

    State Police Command yesterday said it arrested 10 persons after the attack.

    The command’s spokesman Ajayi Okasanmi described the incident as unfortunate.

    Okasanmi confirmed that three people were injured and receiving treatment at a private hospital in Ilorin.

    “It is important to note, that the attack has no religious undertone. It is simply an unlawful act by disgruntled youths of the area, as both Christians and Muslims were attacked,” he said.

    He said the command had commenced investigation, adding that anybody found culpable will be sanctioned.

    Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed condemned the youth, describing their action as criminal and ordered the police to launch a manhunt to nab the perpetrators.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahaab Oba, described the attack as criminal, satanic and alien to the state.

    Ahmed said: “Peace is sine qua non for the development of any society and the government will not tolerate any act capable of breaching peace, unity and tranquility of the state”.

    The governor called on the people to be tolerant and live in harmony for sustenance of growth and economic development.

    He called on parents and guardians to curtail the excesses of thei wards and children.

  • Lawmaker empowers 350 youths with N7m in Sokoto

    A member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Abdussamad Dasuki (APC- Sokoto), representing Tambuwal and Kebbe Federal Constituency on Sunday disbursed N7 million to 350 unemployed youths.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the disbursement was flagged-off under the empowerment programme of the lawmaker in Jabo town of Tambuwal local government area.

    Speaking at the occasion, Dasuki said the gesture was part of his efforts to empower the unemployed youths to enable them establish small scale businesses for self-reliance.

    He said, “it is based on that today we are selecting 350 youths as a pilot programme in order to support each with N20,000 to become self-reliant.

    “Our aim is to support the unemployed youths and create jobs and entrepreneurial activities will continue to be our priority.

    “So, we have been on all major tracks to ensure that we can help our people, most especially youths and women.

    “This is because supporting them is key to improving the living standard of the society,” Dasuki said.

    He called on youths to shun any kind of violence to ensure sustainable peace and unity for the overall development of the country.

    He further commended the people of his constituency for their continuous support towards ensuring the success of all his programmes.

    In his remarks, the District Head of Jabo, Alhaji Aliyu Garba commended the lawmaker for his contributions towards the development of the area and the society in general.

    He called on the beneficiaries to ensure judicious use of the money tp improve their living standard.

  • Letter to Nigerian youths

    SIR: Youths are the backbone of every society or nation. They are the agents of development and they can positively change the future of their societies. But today, they are the centre of societal problems. Armed robbery, kidnappings, drug abuse and prostitution are common among our youths that our country depends on for sustainable development. This is because of governmental policies that always neglect their roles and the positive impacts they can bring.

    Why are youths neglected? The answer is simple. They refuse to fully participate in politics aside being political thugs.  They refuse to contest so that they can enact policies that can be in their favour.

    Why is it that our older politicians don’t want to quit politics and give the future generations opportunity to demonstrate their political capabilities in governing this country that we collectively own? Today in Nigeria, if a governor finishes his tenure; the next political ambition is to be a senator for the rest of his life. When we were in secondary and primary schools, we were told that “we are the leaders of tomorrow”. Which tomorrow? I think this tomorrow that we have been patiently waiting for has come and this is 2019. Nigerian youths must fully participate in politics not only by voting or being political thugs but by actively contesting.

    If we really want to address the inequality and the wide disparity between the masses and political elites, we must pressurise National Assembly to quickly amend the constitution so that we can have independent candidates as most youths do not have the financial capacity to contest elections under the platform of a political party. This is because of the huge amount that the political parties charge aspirants and we do not have the resources to buy votes at primary elections.

    Let us strategise for 2019 by making sure that youths contest and win elections in order to bring the desired changes that our future generations would be proud of and would not blame us for remaining in silence. According to Napoleon Bonaparte, the world suffers a lot not because of the violence of the bad ones but because of the silence of the good ones.

    Let us change the political history of our country by not allowing any serving senator to be at the Senate again, let us change the entire members and leadership of the National assembly because we have the power of achieving it, we can make it based on two things.

    First, by rationally using our voters cards  and secondly by utilizing the highest percentage of the population we have, We should utilize these political weapons to ensure that any poor performing governor is voted out; we have skilled, experienced, educated and unemployed patriotic citizens that can replace these self-serving politicians.

     

    • Hasheem B Ahmad,

    <hashimbahmad@gmail.com>

  • Yoruba youths to hold town hall meeting on restructuring

    The Yoruba Youth Council will hold a town hall meeting on restructuring  tomorrow at the House of Chiefs in the Parliament Building, Ibadan, Oyo State.

    According to a statement  by the youth group, the meeting will make the position of Yoruba youths known on the restructuring of the country. According to the National President of YYC, Eric Oluwole, said the meeting is geared towards ensuring that Nigerian youths reclaim their pride of place in national affairs.

    A renowned legal practitioner Opeyemi Agbaje is the lead speaker with the theme, “Nigeria pre and post-independence: The critical paradigm of Yoruba youth as motivator of regional restructuring.” Co-speakers include Sheikh Mohammed Taofeek Afikeusola, a United Nation youth ambassador Dayo Isreal, Chief Tola Adeniyi, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), and Comrade Laoye Sanda.

    Also expected is the Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi as the royal father of the day. Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi will be the chief host. Other distinguished guests expected  include Prof Banji Akintoye, Prof Adeyemi Aderibigbe, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu , Dr. Frederick Fasehun, the  Aare Onakakakanfo of Yorubaland Gani Adams, Dr Kunle Olajide, Prince Ajibola Atanda, among other leaders.

  • Kano empowers over 50,000 youths in two years

    Kano empowers over 50,000 youths in two years

    The Kano State Government says it has empowered no fewer than 50,000 youths with various skills through training programmes across the 44 local government areas of the state  since 2015.

    The Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, Malam Adamu Unguwargini, disclosed this in an interview  on Friday.

    Unguwargini said that the empowerment programmes were under the government’s new Social Intervention Programme tagged: “Madogara Matasa’’.

    According to him, the programme which started at the onset of the Ganduje administration, is to expose youths to various skills such as carpentry, plumbing, panel beating, car repairs and vulcanising.

    The governor’s aide said that the State Government had also concluded arrangements to start a new skill acquisition programme that would empower various sets of 30,000 youths monthly across all the 44 local governments.

    “This measure will go a long way in complementing the efforts of the Federal Government toward addressing unemployment among youths in the country.

    “As you know, white collar jobs are limited, so we want to stimulate the entrepreneurship spirit in our youths in order to liberate them from poverty and enable them to be self-reliant.

    “This is the best way to go and believe me the measure will propel small and medium-scale endeavours that are a crucial component of Gov. Ganduje’s economic agenda.

    “The idea is to make youths gainfully employed, so that they do not become a nuisance to the society,’’ Unguwargini said.

    He further disclosed that in 2016, 72 youths were sponsored by the state government for training in various fields of automobile engineering at the Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Learning Centre in Kaduna.

    Read also: APC youths to enlighten Nigerians on Buhari’s achievements

    He said that the beneficiaries had since completed the training and were now training other youths in the state.

    The governor’s aide said that the government would soon commence training of females in automobile engineering.

    “Recently, under our empowerment programme, we spent N208 million to empower 5,200 tea vendors selected from 484 wards in the 44 local government areas of the state.

    “The Kano State Government gave each of the beneficiaries N40,000 worth of empowerment packages such as beverages, noodles, pasta, margarine, eggs and cooking oil to improve their business.

    “Our government attaches so much importance to empowerment of its residents because the beneficiaries will become self-reliant at the end, thereby boosting the economic status of the state,’’ Unguwargini said.

    These initiatives, he said, would not only take the youths off the street, it would also enhance security of lives and property in the state.

    NAN

  • APC youths to enlighten Nigerians on Buhari’s achievements

    APC youths to enlighten Nigerians on Buhari’s achievements

    A coalition of youths in the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the auspices of National Youths Leadership Congress (NYLC), has unfolded plans to embark on a nationwide sensitisation rally on the achievements of the APC-led administration in January next year.

    Addressing reporters in Abuja, NYLC National President Emmanuel Orgwu said through the programme, Nigerians will become conversant with the giant strides of the administration.

    Orgwu said the group was interested in setting the pace for a robust APC campaigns, ahead of 2019 through effective grassroots mobilization, sensitisation and opinion sampling.

    He said: “We have resolutely resolved to organise and embark on a nationwide sensitization rally on the achievements of the APC-led administration across the states of the federation from January 7th to April 7th, 2018.

    “NYLC aims among others to stimulate and sustain accelerated programmes that will librate all youths from ignorance and illiteracy and to complement the efforts of our leaders in promoting and sustaining true democracy at all levels of government.