The Nation Newspaper

Tag: youths

  • Memo to northern Nigerian youths

    SIR: It is your responsibility to make our office-bearers and spiritual leaders to be responsible and accountable. The angels didn’t do it for Nelson Mandela and wouldn’t for you. Stand up to be counted for the right reasons and there is no better time than now especially as Nigeria is presently encircled with the mantra of ‘change.’

    I am in a wonderland and find it hard to understand why you have chosen to take the back seat when burning national issues present themselves.

    How else can I explain the quietude displayed by you even in the face of dire consequences starring you eye-ball-to-eye-ball?

    These issues are legion. Politics and religious tenets do not mix but you have aided the political classes today to work with religious schisms to pull the youths apart.

    Why fall for these ruses? A man who chooses to use religion as a path to seeking elective office is a demagogue with nothing to offer. How many countries in the world succeed today by interpreting religious precepts over and above democratic principles or even the constitution of the country?

    It is inappropriate for you to be comfortable with leaders whose aim is to enslave you in perpetuity. Such leaders care more about the welfare of cronies than yours and send these yes men out of the country for religious pursuits at the expense of the development of state.

    What you need are leaders that can secure your future and that of your progenies and not mortgage it.

    Unlike your forebears, who appreciated the impact of ‘people power,’ today’s elected executives fritter your commonwealth on issues not related to development and they are not denounced.

    They ask you to work with an austere regimen but dole out monies frivolously to associates, buy up most of the properties in Abuja and I am left to wonder if there would be any property left for you to buy in Abuja at an appropriate time.

    Why celebrate administrators that cannot be credited with completing meaningful projects? They leave the states massively in debt and run to Abuja when their tours of duty are over.

    Like most youths elsewhere, why do you enjoy working with typecasts shoved down your throats for decades by people who say, “hate the other side”. You have worked with the charge surprisingly well. But how long are you going to work with such prejudices and stereotypes that pit one region of the country against another?

    Education is useless if it does not impact positively on the lives of millions of uneducated, ignorant youths who are teetering on hopelessness and poverty.

    Seek education enthusiastically; ensure your children attend schools and give the girl child an equal an opportunity for learning and development as the male child. Do not discriminate against children due to accidents of birth. Only small-minded people do so.

    When will you finally ask the elected, why are we so poor? Why are our youths known for begging? Why are these young boys in every major Nigerian city homeless?

    You wield a lot of power and can effect a positive change for the development of this country.

    Think about it again; at ages compared to your northern forebears ( some of you are even older now) they seized the moment to become nationalists but why have you kowtowed to intolerant politicians and some religious leaders whose mission is to pull this nation apart?

    Life has always been grim for the rural dwellers and today it is also greyer for the city dwellers with no supply of portable clean drinking water by government.

    Where then is the dole of democracy and why make the work of elected officials easy by not demanding accountability on issues impacting on your welfare?

    We need not recount the dangers of VVF caused by early marriages (child bride). How many of the rich give away their daughters at that age? They do not, because they secure the future of the girl child before marriage. Why should you – when they do not?

    Why don’t you raise awareness against the unwholesome practices where our girl-children are now abandoned due to being burdens and have become a menace to society?

    • Simon Abah,

    Port Harcourt

  • Niger Delta youths threaten to shut down NLNG over plan to build dry-dock shipyard

    Niger Delta youths threaten to shut down NLNG over plan to build dry-dock shipyard

    Youths in the Niger Delta region have said it would mobilize youths in all Niger Delta states to protest against the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG), if the company fails to reverse its decision to build a dry-dock shipyard outside its operational base.

    The youths, under the aegis of Niger Delta Youth Organizations, spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, saying that it would shutdown NLNG facilities if all peaceful modalities failed to convince the company to reverse its decision.

    Over 30 youth organizations, including the National Youths Council of Nigeria; Rivers State chapter; Ijaw Youths Council; Bonny Youths Federation; Niger Delta People Volunteer and Salvation Front and Rivers Ethnic Youth Leaders Coalition, were in attendance at the press briefing.

    They said their grievances was predicated on the fact that NLNG decided to construct a dry-dock shipyard worth $1.5 billion dollars in an area outside its operational base and region.

    Speaking on behalf of the youth organizations, the leader of Bonny Youth Federation, Comrade Simeon Wilcox, said the NLNG did a kangaroo feasibility study without the knowledge of the stakeholders from Rivers State and the Niger Delta at large whose interest were not considered.

    He said the decision taken by NLNG was seen as a clear case of insensitivity and a provocative corporate plan, adding that the company has failed to consider the colossal unemployment rate in the Niger Delta region, especially in Bonny Kingdom.

    Comrade Wilcox said: “We are calling on President Mohammadu Buhari, Chief Nyesom Wike and honourable members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to intervene on this all-important matter in order to avert a serious anarchy.

    “We are going to shutdown the NLNG facilities if the company fails to do the needful. The youths of Rivers State and that of Niger Delta would mobilize to protest across every NLNG operational community until the company considers the interest of the region.”

  • Youths join Obiano’s anti-crime fight

    Youths in Anambra State under the auspices of the Association of Town Unions (ASATU) have inaugurated two committees to help in the fight against crime in the state.

    Governor Willie Obiano has boosted security agencies to fight crime.

    Already, the youth wing of the Town Unions in 177 communities in the state, under the leadership of Comrade Osita Ozalagba, is planning a summit with security agencies in the state.

    This was made known in a communiqué issued by the group in Awka, the state capital, after a meeting at the ASATU office.

    Reading out the communiqué, Ozalagba praised Governor Obiano for tackling security despite criticisms from certain quarters.

    The group called for the implementation of its programme in order to curb crime in the communities.

    “Already,” they said, “we are gearing up to hold a brainstorming security summit with security agencies.

    “We call on the federal government to do the needful by relocating the alleged Boko Haram [prisoners] in Anambra State; their continuous stay is not acceptable to us and viewed as an act of incitement.”

    “We will resist, as demonstrated by the youth leaders of our communities, and we will continue to mount pressure on the federal government authorities, and international rights groups till they are repatriated back to their base of operation.”

    “Also, the federal government should as a matter of necessity, accelerate work on the Second Niger Bridge, knowing the strategic position it occupies in the heart of every Nigerian.”

    They youths also want the federal government to review the operations of the Ministry of Youth Development, adding that it had nothing valuable to offer the Nigerian youth.

     

  • Youths: Everywhere  but nowhere

    SIR: Any nation that don’t give it’s young population the necessary support and an enabling environment to contribute their quota in this digital era may continue to have it’s youths dominate everywhere but nowhere.

    Outside the shores of Nigeria,  Nigerian youths are everywhere and belongs to everybody and have proven themselves in their chosen careers with some winning elective posts in their host nations. This also explains why most Nigerian youths would do the unimaginable to find their way to such climes.

    But here at home, Nigerian youths are nowhere and the story is obvious to be ignored. Even in this era of change, the kind of birds that have been flying and perching on the trees of the presidency and the president’s body language so far leaves a lot to the imagination.

    That explains why there may be no end in sight to the inexorable rise in crime in our polity. Crime has become so lucrative a venture that some faint hearted youths now see as the last alternative.

    Though I condemn in its entirety the inexcusable act of taking to crime as a means to an end, it is a comeuppance that befalls a nation that relegates it’s workforce to the threshold of servility; they have become vulnerable and a threat to the largest growing economy in Africa where oil wealth has enriched the elite who has failed to create jobs for the unemployed youths.

    Is it not an irreversible irony that the same people that graduated and had government and private jobs waiting for them are the ones that would encourage the younger generation to embrace jaded skills acquisition and also dictate the kind of skills acquisition one will acquire?

    This has shown a failure at all levels in previous permissive governments to sincerely stimulate growth and development and inculcate the spirit of self reliance in Nigerian youths that will encourage and empower youths to get self-employed.

    Inasmuch as I am enthusiastic with strong hope that things may get better in this era of change, if adequate measures are not taken to address the challenges that has befallen Nigerian youths and tackled head on, a time will come when no matter the kind of arms and ammunitions the government invests on our nation’s security, the twin monsters of terrorism and kidnapping would continue unabated. Soon the government may also have no choice but to begin to build and rent houses where these youths would be sent to because there will be no more space in the already congested prisons we have across the federation.

     

    • Joe Onwukeme,

    Enugu

     

  • Expert charges youths on nation-building

    The National Director of Save The Children, Nigeria, Mr. Ben Foot has challenged Nigerian youths to rise to the task of rebuilding the ruins of the older generation with new skills, tact and moral lifestyle.

    Foot gave this charge at the 2015 Global Day of Action organised by Save the Children in collaboration with ONE.Campiagn.org, The Future Project and Disability Advocacy Centre in Lagos.

    According to him, the task of building a world fit for children is so urgent especially as the world continue to groan in war, epidemic and disasters.

    He said: “We have failed this generation. The future is not violence, or in the hands of inhuman politicians but is in the hands of young people who will look at the problems around them and say enough is enough.”

    Foot stressed that the new Sustainable Development Goals that would be decided upon by December by world leaders, is about children and they must be involved as they cannot be in the future they were never part of.

    The Save The Children boss also hinted that a summit tagged: ‘Finance our Future’, aimed at providing countries with the opportunity to give the final push towards getting their policy makers, and key players in the economy to attend the Financing for Development (FFD) conference coming up in Addis-Ababa.

    Echoing similar sentiment, Director of ONE Campaign.org, Edwin Ikhuoria said the commitments on international tax cooperation, development assistance and targeted spending toward those living in poverty are some of the issues that would be taken on board at the summit.

  • Youths caution monarchs

    Youths caution monarchs

    A group, Yoruba Youth Congress (YYC), yesterday cautioned traditional rulers in the region to desist from partisan politics and work for the development of the Yoruba.

    Its National President, Dapo Adepoju, who spoke with reporters in Akure, the Ondo State capital, advised the monarchs to learn from their mistakes and desist from trading Yoruba interest for their personal gains.

    He decried the roles of some monarchs during the March 28 presidential election, where some of them compromised the interest of the Yoruba for monetary purposes.

    As custodians of culture and traditions, Adepoju said the monarchs should be neutral and abstain from any act that can mar their reputations.

    The YYC President appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to make youth empowerment a priority of his administration.

    He expressed YYC’s support for the Federal Government’s anti -corruption crusade, which according to him, is the antidote for the eradication of the menace.

    “Yoruba youths are behind the Federal Government in its bid to recover looted funds. YYC delegates have met with the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, on the need for the  government to make youth empowerment its priority.

    “We are hopeful our suggestions and ideals will be considered for possible implementation,” Adepoju said.

  • Empowering youths through social enterprise

    Empowering youths through social enterprise

    A young, successful woman entrepreneur is showing the way in social entrepreneurship, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Empowering  youths  in  the  communities with more  career and  self-help  opportunities is crucial to achieving a better future for all.

    •Ogoko
    •Ogoko

    This holds true for 23-year-old Miss Chinenye  Ogoko, president, Future Blueprints, a social enterprise based  in  Owerri, the Imo State capital.

    She is empowering youths by building their skills as problem solvers and to  succeed in a rapidly changing world.

    She caught her teeth in social entreprenureship from role models from a variety of backgrounds who have been running viable social enterprises.  In impacting skills, she hopes to close the gap in  entrepreneurship training among aspiring social entrepreneurs, especially as  most of them do not come from business backgrounds.

    Besides, Ogoko is encouraged by the fact that embracing the ideology of economic liberation particularlly for youths is one sure way of reducing  unemployment  and  banishing  rural  hunger and poverty.

    The budding entrepeneur tells whoever cares to listen that  acquisition of skills holds the key to  sucessful business enterprises capable of creating  jobs for rural youths.

    Intrestingly, Ogoko is not going it alone. She is in collaboration with partners to offer trainings in youth entrepreneurship and self-employment. Consequently, the project is using volunteers, with each volunteer contributing  specific expertise. More importantly,  she manages to integrate training, post-training coaching and access to funding  information, which are key aspects of her success story.

    Future Blueprints, the child of Ogoko’s resourceful brain, targets youths with the objective of reducing unemployment, underemployment and poverty.  The programme promotes education as well as technical and vocational training. The objective was to offer young people the opportunity to increase their skills, giving them the tools to seek employment or become self-employed at the end of their training.

    In doing so, she appreciates the fact that  opportunities for economic empowerment such as starting a business or obtaining a job beyond the home are few and far between.

    As sign of Okoko’s success in social entreprenurship, she has since spread her tentacles to the  United  States, where she is now  providing  information  on   international  organisations  that  can    assist  young  entrepreneurs  access  seed funds and microcredit.

    Experts like her believe that this is one of the issues compounding  rural poverty in Nigeria.  She is working on drawing more  facilities  to   prospective women and youth entrepreneurs, equipping them with resources and opportunities needed to launch their small businesses.

    While  the  programme  provides a holistic approach for people to learn new crafts and earn income, she  also direct her  energies    towards  empowering  young women to gain confidence in their abilities and skills and raise their voices to advocate for change and negotiate on stronger terms.  She enables young women to form and articulate their career goals so they are better equipped to seek and leverage business opportunities.

    Future Blueprints  has  helped her earn  recognition  for  helping  youths gain a deeper understanding of the key issues facing their communities and nation and nurture their civic and political awareness and activism.

    Miss  Ogoko admitted that her   empowerment programmes  have created  positive and progressive change throughout the  village where she has taken her passion to.  She sees this, and rightly so, as a huge accomplishment. Indeed,    entrepreneurship  has  become a tool to achieve more inclusive and sustainable economies and societies. Though  young Ogoko went into   youth work quite  early  at the age of 16 after being trained as a HIV/AIDS peer-educator by MTN Foundation., she   started her first social enterprise ‘Youth of Purpose Network’ (YPN) in 2008.

    With YPN raising over 100 youth volunteers and organising motivational cum educational programmes for youths in Irete, Owerri West Local Government Area; Awo-Omamma, Oru East Local Government Area and in Owerri Municipal Council all in Imo State, Miss Ogokon became the toast of existing and prospective social entrepreneurs across Africa.

    For instance, she was selected from Africa to represent Nigeria in the Mobilising Youth International Summit of the United Network of Young Peace Builders (UNOY) in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 2014.

    Those who did the selection  were  not disappointed. Ogoko emerged first prize winner in the Pitch for Peace contest held in the same summit.

    The prize was a shot in the young entreprenure’s arm. Right now, she is planning on creating an after-school career building and mentoring programme for girls in Nigerian high schools.

    Her organisation has trained over 150 young people on entrepreneurship and community development.  “We train generally on business development, social entrepreneurship and purpose-discovery. We also connect them to career mentors for guidance. The mentors report to us and even the trainees themselves. We have staff volunteers who check up on them regularly,” she said.

    That is not all. As her work continues to grow and spread across the country, she   is beginning to use the platform to raise health, gender, and other social issues. As such she is ensuring that young people she is serving are empowered not only to be confident and independent business people, but also socially responsible citizens.

    Since she relocated  to the  US, Miss Ogoko has  been interacting  with the Nigerian students community there. ”I was just nominated for the African Youth Excellence Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

    ‘’African Youth Excellence awards young people of African descent who are doing amazing works in their country and Africa but resides in the US,” she explained.

    The Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo State born Miss Ogoko, who earned her first degree from the University of Technology, Owerri, currently serves as a Peace Child International’s task force member on Conakry-Rabat Commitment for full youth employment 2030. She is also a scholar at Watson University in Colorado, US.

     

  • Excited youths mob Buhari

    Excited youths mob Buhari

    •President says: ‘My life in God’s hands’ 

    Security operatives struggled for several minutes  yesterday  to control  hundreds of  worshipers trying to touch or  shake  hands with President  Muhammadu Buhari  at the end of the Eid-el-Fitri prayers  in Abuja.

    Buhari admitted  later that the surging crowd almost overwhelmed  the security men  and that “the incident   is a clear indication that  the ultimate security of  leaders  can only be guaranteed by God”.

    Recounting his  experience  when he received  a delegation of the  Federal Capital Territory (FCT) residents  at the Presidential Villa, Buhari  said  he “had to hold tight to my gown to get to my car” as the youths surrounded him and his convoy.

    His words: “Today, during and immediately after the prayers, I think I was bombarded by the youths who almost overwhelmed the security, and I had to hold tight to my gown to get to my car.

    “I was advised to enter the car from the ADC side, and I refused. I went across trying to hold my hand to the wild youths who wanted to see me.

    “On an occasion like this, it shows that after what happened to President Ronald Reagan of the USA, it is only God Almighty that protects leaders because in a mob like this, anybody with a sharp knife can get access and do a lot of damage.

    “So, all the policemen and soldiers  that were deployed  since six o’ clock in the morning before I came out two hours later in the rain, cannot protect you.Only God protects. I hope God will continue to protect us.”

    He thanked the delegation  “most sincerely for fulfilling the tradition of greetings for whoever occupies this place “ during   Sallah .

    He also congratulated them  ” for the privilege which  only you residents of the FCT have to shake hands and take pictures with me.

    “Other Nigerians are envious of you, if you don’t know it.”

    Also speaking,Vice President Yemi Osinbajo   said that the homage was a demonstration of the expectations for all religious faiths to  live together in unity and peace.

    He urged Nigerians to cooperate with the government as it strives to put things right.

    The Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Obinna Chukwu, who led the delegation, said  the delegation was at the Villa to  “congratulate both you and the Vice President as  the  FCT is the centre of excellence and we promote unity.That is why you have here Muslim and Christian faithful .”

    Also on the delegation were  the  Chief Imam of the  National Mosque, Abuja,  Christian clerics, Head of the  Civil  Service of the Federation, Chief Justice of the Federation, the  Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police.

  • Save us from cult groups, Rivers community leader, youths call on Wike

    Save us from cult groups, Rivers community leader, youths call on Wike

    Following another round of killings by rival cult groups in Rivers State, the monarch of Ubima in Ikwerre Local government Area of Rivers State, His Royal Highness Eze Chima Ofurum and the youths of the community have called on the state governor,  Nyesom Wike, to come to their rescue.

    which has made the total number of people killed to four in Ubima community  in Ikwerre Local government Area of Rivers State, the monarch and Youths of the community have pleaded the immediate intervention of Governor Nyesom Wike.

    Eze Ofurum said the supremacy fight between the rival cult groups has got to stage where the government should act to restore peace back to the community.

    It will be recalled that the Degban cult fraternity and the Axelander cult group, last week engaged each other in a deadly fight in the area, during which four cult members were killed, while scores of villages were left various degrees of injuries.

    Ubima community, the home town of Governor Chibuike Amaechi and Sir Celestine Omehia has been engulfed in serious cult war since 2014.

    Reacting yesterday to the spate of clashes between cult groups in the community,  Eze Ofurum said he is hopeful that peace would return to the community if government intervenes and put a stop to the activities of the cult groups.

    The monarch noted that if Governor Wike truly loves the people of the community, he should mobilize security operatives to the area, adding that some of the villagers who could not withstand the heat of the fight between the rival cult groups have relocated to neigbouring communities.

    The youth leader of the community, Michael Amaechi, said the youths are ready to work with security operatives to ensure that peace is returned to the community.

    A member of the Degban cult group  who pleaded anonymity, said the latest spate of fighting started when one of their leaders, Chinedu Umezurike a.k.a Biggi,  was murder  by  the Axelander cult group.

    But a member of the Axelander, who also pleaded anonymity, while speaking with our reporter on phone, accused the Degban group of committing a lot of atrocities in the community.

     

    Abducted Delta poly lecturer regains freedom

    n Polycarp Orosevwotu, n Ughelli

     

    Abducted Delta Polytechnic lecturer, Mr. Chike Gbemudu, has been released after spending two weeks with his abductors.

    Gbemudu, a lecturer in the Directorate of General Studies department of the institution, was kidnapped in the early hours of July 3, 2015, at his residence, in the Ozoro metropolis.

    The kidnappers demanded a N20 million ransom fee for his release.

    A source in the institution, who revealed that Gbemudu was released on Wednesday, said he was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

    He said, “A certain amount of money was paid to the kidnappers as ransom, but I cannot say precisely how much was paid.  The good thing is that he has been released and we thank God that for keeping him alive.”

    Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Celestina Kalu, confirmed that Gbemudu had been released.

  • Youths are dragged into Boko Haram through internet – Emir Sanusi

    Youths are dragged into Boko Haram through internet – Emir Sanusi

    The Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II yesterday said exposure of the youths of nowadays to information technology and new social media dragged them into joining Jihadist and Boko Haram groups.

    Speaking during the 10th Annual Ramadan Lecture organised by VON, NTA/FRCN held in Kaduna yesterday, the Emir said the youths learn new ideologies from the internet and after watching they get up to go to Iraqi and Syria to join the Jihadist group.

    According to him, “Through information technology and emergence of internet and social media, today’s youth go on the computer and they learn Islam from facebook and twitter. They learn Islam from videos they watch on facebook and after 14 to 15 hours of watching new things, they decide that they need to become jihadists. They get up and go to Iraq or Syria or somewhere and join the group. And there are no controls. Right inside your house, your son can be sitting upstairs in the bedroom getting indoctrinated into an extremist without your knowledge. We need to watch what our children watch. And we need to talk to them. If we do not give them the correct Islamic Education, they will find the wrong education on the internet.

    “Now, this is very important because we have spent so much time in ignorance. I know we must send our children to school to acquire western education, which is very important. You have children going to England and becoming radicalised in American on the internet, not only in the Muslim countries. So we need to make sure that we give our children correct Islamic education, especially to take them away from religious Extremism.

    “In the 21st century, the Muslim ummah is facing enormous challenges. This century is facing challenges such as changing from traditional lifestyle to modern lifestyles. The increasing independence of women and awareness of their rights, which represents huge challenges for this caused by Boko Haram, especially on matters of marriage and divorce. Are we still living in the era in which fathers can force their daughters into marriage without their permission? Yes we are. Early marriage, yes we are in Nigeria. And it is hurting and destroying our society. We are the ones to address these social issues and they are problems.

    “And you know that taking her out of school and forcing her into marriage without education, results into having a child from her who does not have a mother that can give him training. That is a child that gets on drugs, hemp or joins Boko Haram. All these things are connected. We have to face these challenges,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Director General of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Ladan Salihu, advocated for regulations of Islamic preaching, which tends to pollute the minds of the Muslim ummahs.

    “I am one of those who subscribe to the fact that preaching must be regulated. The situation we have now is people whose preaching are not checked. In fact, those who preach nowadays are preaching to win group to their sides, not souls to the way of Allah,” Salihu stated.

    The topic of the lecture was “The Challenges of Muslim Ummah in the 21st Century.”