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Tag: youths

  • Fellowship fetes youths on Val’s Day

    To mark the Valentine’s Day, the Stone Campus Fellowship of the University of Ibadan (UI) and Singles’ Fellowship, a youth arm of the Word Alive Ministries, held a special event for bachelors and spinsters. The Penton Rise building in Bodija where the event held was beautifully decorated in red and white ribbons.

    The organisers said the event, which was tagged: Ahava, was to educate the participants about true love and the essence of the celebration. Ahava is Hebrew word for love.

    Participants were told that love  builds an everlasting relationship, loyalty and benevolence. They were also told that love seeks well-being of others and does not fade.

    The Head of Singles’ Fellowship, Pastor Ayo Fatokun, urged the participants to abide and abound in the love of God, saying: “God has commanded everyone to love their enemies and true love does not hurry but endures all things and is always generous, humble and polite.”

    The Singles’ President, Mr Tope Orimoloye, reminded the participants on why they must love and show loyalty to their partner. According to him, love for God must come first before showing love to neighbours.

    He urged the participants to promote justice, love and peace where they live. He thanked the president of the Word Alive Ministries International Alex Adegboye, and his wife for their support for students’ fellowships at the UI.

    The event featured singing and dancing.

  • Youths get advice on chastity

    The Ladies of the Order of Knights of St. Mulumba Nigeria, Lekki Sub-Council, Archdiocese of Lagos, has advised youths to shun immorality.

    More than 500 Catholic youths were tutored at a seminar on the need to be morally upright.

    The President, Ladies of Saint Mulumba, Lekki Sub Council, Lady Nkiru Ezeh, said the one-day seminar followed their maternal conviction that chastity was a great virtue.

    The seminar, titled: “Chaste Youth, Happy Adult”, addressed the secular culture as reflected in the media that not only accepted sex outside marriage but encouraged it.

    Welcoming participants to the Catholic Church of Transfiguration, Victoria Garden City, Lagos, venue of the seminar, Lady Ezeh lamented that although chastity and purity were not valued as they used to in the past, “God still values purity.”

    She attributed the decline in societal value for chastity and purity to  separations and divorces, urging youths to embrace chastity.

    Lady Ezeh said: “The youth, we believe, are the backbone of every society and if we don’t train them as we should, then the future is not certain. Chastity is all encompassing and it is not old-fashion. If you are pure in whatever you do, then you will succeed. The Internet is there bombarding our children with lots of things, but we as mothers and caregivers have the primary responsibility of training our children to be responsible adults. We should not close our eyes to these facts”.

    Urging youths on the need to embrace chastity, the Parish Priest of Catholic Church of Transfiguration, Rev. Father Mike Okonkwo, said a child who embraced chastity would become a happy adult.

    The cleric, enjoining youths to make good use of what they have learnt, said it would make them happy adults.

    One of the facilitators, Dr. Onyeka Iwuchukwu, who addressed the youth on the ills of living unchaste life, said: “Sex is celebrated everywhere, but I will tell you emphatically that chastity is still cherished. As a youth, you need to preserve yourself according to God’s injunction. Your relationship with God is very important in whatever you do and I think you should ask yourself constantly, who is worth destroying your relationship with God through fornication? Consider many things before you sin and don’t allow yourself to be tossed around by Satan.” Iwuchukwu advised youths to embrace chastity by being the master of their body.

    Speaking on the spiritual benefits of chastity, one of the facilitators, Mrs. Chineze Ofodile, said chastity was not only about pre-marital sex, but something to be treasured.

  • Ijaw youths to North: support Jonathan

    Ijaw youths to North: support Jonathan

    President, Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide (IYCWW), Comrade Udengs Eradiri has urged northern youths to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s bid for a second term.

    Eradiri spoke at the weekend at a one day youth summit organised by the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), in collaboration with the IYCWW. He reiterated that Ijaw youths did not threaten war, but rather condemned the attacks on President Jonathan.

    He said: “As Niger-Delta people, there was no time we said there would be war if Jonathan loses the election. We only condemned the attacks on his person.

    “We from the Niger-Delta strongly believe in one Nigeria and that is why we want to form alliance with Northern youths, especially in politics.

    “The constitution allows for two terms in office. The Northerners supported Mr. President during the first election and we are seeking their conscience to further support him in order to continue the work he has started.

    “Roads are being constructed, dams are been built, railway is working and agriculture, especially in the North, is improving.

    “We have said it will not be by violence or intimidation. What we are saying is this: Northerners should support us for a second term so that we fully support the North in 2019.”

    President, Northern Youth Council of Nigeria, Comrade Isah Abubakar assured that it would resist any attempt by any politician to involve the youths in electoral violence.

    “Today, we are signing a peace pact. We would resist any attempt by any politician to use us to cause violence during the elections.

    “As you can see, we are releasing these six pigeons, which symbolically mark the essence of our gathering today.”

    Guest speaker, Prof. John La’ah of the Geography department of the Kaduna State University, commended the organisers of the summit. He described it as “a welcome development”.

    La’ah said: “I am very happy to identify with NYCN and IYC. President Goodluck and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have good vision for Nigeria. The President is humble, dynamic, competent and above all, he is healthy and stable.

    “I hope that in 2019, when we are sure the presidency would go to the North, all things being possible, we will be in the South-south for a similar function.

    “It is now time to hold hands and align ourselves with our friends from the Niger-delta, and with our votes, declare our support for President Jonathan so that we can achieve the kind of society our forefathers desired for us.”

  • Oil producing communities youths seek more benefits from oil

    Youths from oil producing communities in the Niger Delta region have advocated for the implementation of the community content in the oil and gas industry. They said the Nigeria Content in the Local Content Law as passed does not give much right to oil producing communities to actively participate and benefit from the operations of oil companies in their communities.

    This was contained in a communique issued at the end of a one-day workshop organized by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) with the theme “Local Content: Youth Involvement and Benefits”.

    In the communique signed by President of the Ijaw Youth Congress, (IYC) Udengs Eradiri, and National President of Edo Youth leaders, Igho Ovie, they youths commended President Goodluck Jonathan for initiating and signing the Local Content Bill into law and the subsequent inauguration of its pioneer Board.

    The youths noted that opportunities offered by the Local Content Law were more than the benefits derivable from the 13 percent derivation if properly utilised.

    It reads: “Hence, there is need for continuous enlightenment campaigns across the Niger Delta states on the functions of the Board and how people especially youths can take advantage of the provisions of the Local Content law.”

    “That it is the right of the oil producing communities to actively participate and benefit from the operations of oil and gas companies in their communities.

    “In order to sustain the gains made in the promotion of local content in the oil and gas industry, the youths of oil producing communities of the Niger Delta expressed their support for the re-election of President Jonathan for a second term and thereby adopted him as their sole candidate for the March 28, 2015 Presidential elections.”

     

     

  • Skills for 500 youths in Anambra

    Skills for 500 youths in Anambra

    Everyone is expectant. No fewer than 500 Anambra State youths are being groomed to become entrepreneurs soon.

    The youths selected from the 21 local government areas of the state are being trained in skills at the Technology Incubation Centre, Nnewi under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.

    They were sponsored by the Governor Willie Obiano administration.

    The programme tagged State Youth Skill Acquisition and Empowerment Scheme was inaugurated by Governor Obiano at the  Centre in Nnewi North Local Government Area.

    This first batch of the youths would be trained in ICT, soap making, spare-parts fabrication and production of car wash liquids and detergents, among others.

    At the end of the incubation period which ranges from three weeks to six months or more depending on the skill acquired or trade, the trainees would be given certificates of Technology Entrepreneurship bearing the insignia of the Technology Incubation Centre and the National Board for Technology Incubation.

    Governor Obiano said the programme was in line with his earlier promise to establish three vocational centres, one in each senatorial district.

    He further explained that the second batch of trainees would also be selected from all the local government areas until the other two vocational centres come on stream, adding that, at the end of their training, the youth would be provided with some money to establish small-scale businesses in order to become self-reliant.

    He recalled that another batch of 500 youths was being trained at Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company on automobile manufacturing.

    Governor Obiano, who used the opportunity to inaugurate a 300 KVA transformer, restated the efforts of his administration to boost power supply in the area to drive the ongoing industrial revolution, in addition to mass infrastructural development, including the shopping mall project in Nnewi.

    Highlight of the flag-off was the pronouncement of a scholarship award to Master Onyebuchi Osuma Emejulu from Onitsha North, from primary to university levels, for singing the Anambra Anthem off by heart. He assured that his administration would continue to encourage youths to achieve their goals.

    The Deputy Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Prince Chukwudi Orizu, thanked the governor for empowering the youth and providing them the opportunity to develop their skills to attain full potential in life.

    He assured that the people of the area would give the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) total support in the coming elections.

    On his part, the Anambra State Commissioner for Science and Technology and Mineral Resources, Chief Obi Nwankwo said the flag-off was for initial 500 youth’s skill acquisition programme which he said was the first technology-based youth empowerment scheme in the history of Anambra State.

    Nwankwo expressed gratitude to Governor Obiano for supporting the initiative of the training and fulfilling his promises to the incubation centre when he visited it in October last year.

    He recalled that Obiano promised to uplift the centre by building an auditorium, incubation complex, landscaping of the premises, installation of 300KVA transformer and training of 500 unemployed youths.

    Nwankwo said:  “We are happy His Excellency has made some approvals towards realising these promises.  We have the assurances of His Excellency that more approvals are on the way. The beneficiaries will receive training on various skills such as automobile machine parts fabrication, fisheries, beverages, soap and cosmetics manufacturing and ICT, and so on.

    “We consider these skills as the key enablers towards actualising the four pillars of the Willie Obiano administration namely, Agriculture, Oil and Gas, Industrialisation, Trade and Commerce.

    “Through this scheme, we are getting the people of Anambra ready, and equipping them with the right skills that will be needed as we embrace the opportunities already emerging in Anambra State through increased foreign investments.”

    Some of the trainees, including Udeaja Ugochukwu from Nnewi North, Onyeagolu Osita from Awka North and Ugboesotu Ifeoma from Nnewi South praised the Anambra State Government for being youths-friendly. They assured that they would be diligent and committed to be able to master the skills.

    Contributing, the Manager, Technology Incubation Centre, Pastor Uche P. Chukwu expressed her gratitude to the governor for the ongoing developmental projects in the centre, which include landscaping, the installed transformer, renovation of existing buildings and approval for the construction of auditorium and incubating block complex, among others.

    Mrs. Chukwu assured that they would work to achieve the vision and expectations of the state government, urging the youth to take full advantage of the opportunity.

    She commended Governor Obiano for donating the 300KVA transformer, adding that the event marks yet another remarkable and glorious milestone in the history of the centre and Anambra State.

    “Today, we are witnessing many developmental projects going on in the centre courtesy of His Excellency, Governor Willie Obiano; the entire premises is being landscaped, the transformer installed and ready for inauguration, the existing buildings renovated and approval of the construction of auditorium/incubating block complex, and others. We remain grateful to Your Excellency.

    “Today will also be remarkable in the lives of 500 youths of Anambra State who are beneficiaries from His Excellency’s generosity in flagging off this skill acquisition/empowerment programme as one of the key players in the industrial revolution initiatives of this administration.

    “The centre has remained focused towards achieving its objectives and has also contributed greatly towards the economic and industrial development of Anambra State and its environs.

    “At this juncture, I wish to convey the deep appreciation of the Minister of Science and Technology and Director-General/CEO, National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) to your Excellency towards the actualisation of the objectives of the incubation programme.

    “Also I wish to extend the minister’s assurances and commitment towards achieving the objectives of the Youth Skill Acquisition and Empowerment Scheme in Anambra State which is in line with our mandate of nurturing and facilitating the growth of technology-based SMEs.

    “I therefore enjoin the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunity offered to them by the governor to be self-reliant.

    “I thank the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Mineral Resources, Chief Obi Nwankwo who has worked tirelessly for the success of this event and ensuring a sustaining and effective collaboration between the Centre and Anambra State Government,” she said.

    Former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Chief Maja Umeh said he felt elated that the first set of 500 would-be entrepreneurs has just begun the race to self actualisation, describing the initiative as a bold one. He commended Governor Obiano for that bold step. He encouraged the learners to be serious to actualise their vision of enrolling in the first place.

     

  • Akpabio to Akwa Ibom youths: don’t sacrifice for APC

    Akpabio to Akwa Ibom youths: don’t sacrifice for APC

    Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio yesterday warned the youth not to sacrifice their lives for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The governor said the lives of the youth were too precious to be wasted by the opposition.

    He noted that if youths give their lives for APC’s course, they would be misguided.

    Akpabio spoke in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally for the party’s governorship candidate, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.

    The governor noted that in the face of the political season, selfish politicians would want to use their positions to deceive youths into sacrificing their lives.

  • APC youths plan one-million-man march

    The Cross River State All Progressives Congress’ (APC) Youth Leader, Mr. Effiom Otu, has announced plans by the party’s youth wing to organise a one-million-man march in Calabar in solidarity with their presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and other candidates ahead of the resheduled elections.

    Otu condemned postponement of the general elections, saying the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was only expressing fear of losing the polls.

    He said: “Cross Riverians should vote for the APC to justify their agitation for change and restoration of lost glory occasioned by long period of neglect and injustice meted on them by the PDP government.

    “The presidency has been caught in another web of cajoling by feigning insecurity as reason for the postponement, because it could not convincingly pull through the issue of PVCs collection as initial reason for the shift.

    “They forget that local government polls were successfully conducted in Yobe State last year even in the face of heightened insecurity, yet the same Presidency is saying the entire Nigerian Army need to be available for the elections to hold successfully.

    “Again, if INEC has achieved a substantial rate of readiness, what stops the presidency from going ahead with the polls and then fight the insurgency later on if all our soldiers must be put out there for the war at the same time?

    “The postponement, like our national secretariat has pointed out, is highly provocative because it not only dislodges the parties and candidates of their plans, but was also a way of delaying the berthing of goodwill to the masses, who had long been yearning for change that was already at their threshold.’’

  • Challenging youths to dare

    Challenging youths to dare

    Students of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) participated in a leadership training organised by the British Council to drive sustainable development and innovation. SARAT ALABIDUN (300-Level Chemistry) r

    YouthS must drive sustainable development and explore their minds to shape their future.” With these word Prof Nasiru Yauri, one of the facilitators at the British Council Active Citizens Training held last Wednesday at Youth Friendly Centre of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), challenged the youth to dare.

    The training was organised with the aim of engaging the youth in building trust and sustainable development.

    It started with globingo, an interactive game in which about 40 of the participants asked one another questions and competed for the first position. The ability to answer questions faster was the key to survive in the game. It was also an avenue for the organisers  to know the participants.

    As the contestants introduced themselves to the facilitator, one of the participants, Sherifah Ahmadu, said: “We need to know our identities as well as that of others in order to know what people hold dear to their hearts.”

    Each participant explained his views on the “tree of expectations”, a method used by the organisers to recognise everyone’s strengths and the positive results they could get using those strengths. The participants learnt how to interact with people from various backgrounds after the first day’s training ended.

    The Day Two training started with a game titled: “Four Words”, which was aimed at fostering dialogue and enabling people to reach agreement on controversial issues. A story was told of how people see things differently and express different views about a subject matter.

    “A dialogue is not necessarily a consensus, neither is it an argument,” Prof Yauri told the participants. The attendees were divided into groups, with each having a task to tell a story using illustrations to describe dialogue. It was a creative session as the different groups came up with interesting stories that explained the true essence of dialogue and why it must be constructive. The training ended with the participants leaving with understanding of working together and sacrifice.

    On Day Three, participants were led in a procession to a serene environment within the campus, where they reflected on challenges facing their communities and the social action projects they could carry out to help solve those problems. The students came up with practicable ideas that could be introduced to reduce the challenges. They learnt about community mapping, which the organisers described as the first steps in project planning.

    The participants were divided into groups for discussions; each group presented its strategy to solve identified problems.

    The final day activity was on project planning and how the participants could actualise their social action projects in their communities. Each group thought of social action plan it could carry out and engaged other groups in implementing the objectives.

    They were also taught problem-solving skills and final evaluation of projects through record keeping and recognising its success and failures.

    Prof Yauri said: “We have trained you, and we are now going to let you go out into the society to make positive impacts. You have become tributaries from which other tributaries can be formed.”

    Participants spoke about their experience after the training. Enitan Adekunle, a 300-Level Education and Extension Services student, said he learnt the virtue of selflessness and mutual respect. He said: “I learnt that everything should not always be about me, but everyone in the society. I learnt how to interact with people and how to engage in dialogue. The training has opened my eyes to the virtue of selflessness and mutual respect.”

    Another participant, Abdulmajeed Abdullah, a 300-Level Modern and European Languages student, said: “I was taught how to start a dialogue and the importance of constructive dialogue. I learnt problem-solving skill through the group discussion and I have already started my social action project on the internet to practicalise what I have learnt from the training.”

     

     

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  • Lawmaker urges youths to emulate Ajimobi

    A member of the Oyo state House of Assembly Hon Olusegun Olaleye has urged the youth to emulate the doggedness and commitment of the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, towards repositioning the state.

    He said governor Ajimobi has improved the living standard of the masses especially the youth since he came on board adding that Ajimobi has proved to be the change Oyo state people have been clamouring for before 2011.

    The lawmaker who spoke during the presentation of empowerment items to youths in the Abadina area of the University of Ibadan boasted that he was a product of the university as well as the Abadina community.

    He donated gas cookers, home theatres, refrigerators’, grading machines, cash, cobblers machine among other gadget to the people.

    He said he was happy for the support of the youth who believed in him and mobilised for him during the last election. He urged them to do the same in the 2015 election.

    Olaleye who highlighted the achievement of the governor in the state implored the people to believe in the transformation and policies of the state government adding that they will enjoy more dividend of democracy beyond the 2015 if they voted for the governor in the forthcoming general elections.

    “I want you people to emulate Governor Abiola Ajimobi for what he stands for. He has proved to be the change we are looking for prior to the 2011 general election. Ajimobi believes so much in the youth and he has contributed to the development of the state. I am very happy with the way you supported me and I want you to keep supporting us. You believe in our ideology and we appreciate you for that.”

    Reacting the president of the caretaker committee of the Abadina residents association Mr. Monday Okpokuru appreciated the gesture of the lawmaker and urged him to continue getting back to his community. He said the lawmaker has distinguished himself from other youths who began their lives from the Abadina and prayed that he will get relected in 2015 elections. “you are a good ambassador of this area and we are proud of you” he noted.

    The youth leader Mr. Emeka Aliba who appreciated the lawmaker on behalf of the entire youths said they were happy for the generosity of the lawmaker and assured him of the total support of the area. He said the youth were happy for having the lawmaker who happened to be one of them in the House of Assembly. He confirmed that Olaleye has came to their rescue many times. “He is our brother and mentor. He has proved to be a leader with the way he has been dealing with us. I am now assuring him of our total support in the forthcoming elections” he assured.

     

  • Skills transform Kaduna youths

    Skills transform Kaduna youths

    Before she enrolled into the Youth Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Programme (YESAP) sponsored by the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) 20-year-old Marry Adams had lost the hope of furthering her education. Why? Her parents could not afford it. Mother Luck smiled on her. She was selected for a six-month skill acquisition programme run by YESAP in Kaduna. She was among the 150 unemployed youths who graduated from the exercise.

    Mary told The Nation that while on the training, she was getting contracts, even employing two of her neighbours as casual staff. She was among the 20 who participated in the Catering and Event Management. Beaming with smiles, she said that with the training, her hope of going to the university has come alive again.

    She said:  “I am a secondary school leaver and I must say that, even though, we are just graduating today, I have benefited a lot from this YESAP programme. Initially, I lost the hope of going to the university because my parents are not financially buoyant; today, my hope has been renewed. While, we were still undergoing training, I had already started making cakes for my friends and family members at cheaper rates. When somebody has a birthday celebration, I use my already acquired knowledge to organise the event, plan for them and do little decoration. Before I knew it, other people started consulting me in my neighborhood for occasions.

    “So, as it is presently, I have two of my friends from the neighbourhood who beg to follow me whenever I have one event to manage or the other. In fact, they go telling people that, Mary is good in decoration and all that, because for each contract I get, they help me and they get their own percentage.”

    She commended the management of KRPC for the programme and urged the company to involve more youths, particularly young widows and orphans, adding that her first target after settling down is to sponsor herself to the university, since she now has a means of making money.

    Another beneficiary of the training, Manassehý Markus, who trained in auto-mechatronics, said he was lucky to be trained to detect faults in vehicles using a gas box.

    “I am happy that I have this knowledge today, and there is an already-made market,” he said. “The course has to do with using gas box to diagnose fault in cars, to know what is wrong with the car before taking it to the appropriate expert like rewire. This has become a lucrative business in Nigeria today, because all the cars sold in the market today are computerised”.

    Markus, who holds a National Diploma in Computer Science said, he intends to transform the knowledge he has gotten into economic fortune and improve on his life and that of his family. He also expressed appreciation to the management of KRPC, saying; “My message to KRPC is to appreciate them for this opportunity given to us, the youth. It is one way to take the youth off the street and drug. This is because when you have something doing that is putting food on your table, you will not bother to look for government’s jobs or mingling with bad friends. So, I want to encourage them to do more in this direction to reduce unemployment.ý”

    On her part, Ruth Amana said: “I have been under intensive training by consultants hired by KRPC and it has been worthwhile experience for me. I’m going to use what I have been taught to establish myself. I will start my own catering outfit. I want to thank the KRPC management so much. They have really turned my life and situation around because this is an opportunity that is very hard for many to get. I was chosen out of many people who were equally qualified. All I want to say is thank you KRPC,” she simply said.

    Addressing beneficiaries of the training at a elaborate ceremony at Umaru Musa Yar’adua Hall of Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna, the KRPC Managing Director, Engr Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, said the YESAP VI, was part of the company’s social responsibility to its immediate host communities. He disclosed that the company had in six years trained 675 unemployed youths and equipped them to manage their lives and support their family members. Mohammed said it has been the goal of the YESAP programme launched by KRPC in 2008, adding that, “the company has been working with reputable consultants to ensure that young people in Kaduna State and through Northern Nigeria have the skills and economic opportunity to build productive lives and contribute to nation building. Similarly, arrangements are being concluded for KRPC to partner with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to assist graduands in business set up, monitoring and performance tracking and to assist those that are progressing in their respective trades to access credit facilities and other form of assistance”.

    He however called on the communities to help protect the NNPC property in their locality in order to both enjoy the good relationship that exist between them. The 15 vocational courses include auto-welding and fabrication, Plaster of Paris, carpentry and woodwork, auto-mechatronic, auto-mechanic, auto-spray painting, fashion and textile design, screen printing, poultry and fishing among others.

    The Nation also gathered that, all the 150 beneficiaries were given starter packs and cash of N100,000 as capital to start the business. However, joy were written all over the faces of the graduates, ýas special guests and parents present at the occasion commended the presentations made by the youths during the exhibition of their work and products.