- say planned summit will help rebuild Nigeria
- it should not be politically hijacked
The Yoruba Afenifere Youth Organisation of Nigeria YAYON has thrown its weight behind the planned National Youth Conference announced on Tuesday by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his Independence Day Anniversary Speech.
It praised the President for factoring the youths, who constitute over 60 percent of Nigeria's population, into his administration's programs of rebuilding the country on a more solid foundation.
The organisation said: “On behalf of Yoruba youths, we receive with great happiness the announcement by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of his plan to convene a National Youth Conference. We are going to work on the plan.”
The YAYON, which is the Overall umbrella National body of Yoruba youths across the Country, said in a statement by Yoruba Youth Leader, Comrade Eric Oluwole, that President Tinubu is on the right path with the planned convocation of the national youth summit, the first ever that will be organised by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Oluwole said: “The Yoruba Afenifere Youth Organisation of Nigeria (YAYON), drawing from the fountain of the profound wisdom of our highly respected fathers and grandfathers in Afenifere, the umbrella socioeconomic and political association of the Yoruba people of Nigeria at home and in the Diaspora, ably led by the revered Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, CFR, has all along been at the forefront of the campaign for government to actively involve the youths of our great Country in all its Nation building efforts.
“We are happy that the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR., who himself was raised in the Afenifere/Obafemi Awolowo Political Family of the Yoruba Omoluwabi tradition, has at last hearkened to this long cry unto the Central Government to meaningfully tap into the vibrant energies, potential and talents of our youths.
“We believe strongly that Nigeria our great Country stands to reap immense long-term benefits from the planned 30-day national confab of the youths, many of who already have their eyes focused on the future, and with their budding gifts, potential, skills and extraordinary talents, are already working here and there to build a robust future for themselves individually in various spheres of life, using the advance in science and technology, especially ICT, in an astonishing manner.
“This planned national youth summit has raised the hope of a central coordination and channeling of these individual efforts towards one corporate goal of nation-building, This will eventually translate to a miracle making Nigeria truly the Giant of Africa, and the most powerful Black Country on earth, by virtue of her ecnomic and military powers that will be fueled by the newly injected energies of the youths.
“We believe also that the planned national youth summit will be a desirable forum for the Government in partnership with the Organised Private Sector to frontally address the challenges and problems confronting the youths. We believe that the end-result of the planned dialogue by the Federal Government with the youths, and engaging them actively in efforts at building a robust future for the youths, the future which actually belongs to them, will deescalate tensions in the country.
“It will drastically reduce the challenges and problems confronting the youths mainly such as violent protests that often break out due to frustration and idleness; psychiatric cases and mental disorders; crimes and drug addictions which some youths see as escape routes from the problems and challenges weighing them down.
“The dialogue and interaction by the government with the youths through the planned summit will also tone down the usual distrust with which the youths hold the Government and its agencies, and particularly the historical animosity against law enforcement agencies such as the police seen all along by the youths as an agency of state terror that deserves to be scrapped. It will thereby help prevent a reoccurrence of the sad #EndSARS protests with its incalculable losses of lives and property across the country.
“Thereby the planned national youth confab will help in building and maintaining peace, the only atmosphere necessary for true national social, economic, political, industrial, or whatever development can take place.it will lay a new foundation for building a more prosperous Nigeria in which all her citizens will flourish in happiness.”
In his Independence Day Anniversary Speech, President Tinubu explained the reasons for the planned national youth conference.
He said: “We remain mindful of the next generation as we seek to galvanize their creative energy towards a better future. We lead today with the future we wish to bequeath to our children in focus, recognizing that we cannot design a future that belongs to them without making them its architects.
“Considering this, I am pleased to announce the gathering of a National Youth Conference. This conference will be a platform to address the diverse challenges and opportunities confronting our young people, who constitute more than 60 per cent of our population. It will provoke meaningful dialogue and empower our young people to participate actively in nation-building. By ensuring that their voices are heard in shaping the policies that impact their lives, we are creating a pathway for a brighter tomorrow.
“The 30-day Confab will unite young people nationwide to collaboratively develop solutions to issues such as education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice. The modalities of this Confab and selection of delegates will be designed in close consultation with our young people through their representatives. Through this confab, it will be our job as leaders to ensure that their aspirations are at the heart of the conference’s deliberations. The government will thoroughly consider and implement the recommendations and outcomes from this forum as we remain resolute in our mission to build a more inclusive, prosperous, and united Nigeria.
“Our government is implementing several other youth-centric programmes to give our young people an advantage in the rapidly changing world. We are implementing, amongst others, the 3 million Technical Talents programme (3MTT) of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, aimed at building Nigeria’s technical talent backbone.
“We have also enthusiastically implemented the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides cheap loans to our students to pursue their tertiary educational dreams. In addition, later this month, we shall launch The Renewed Hope Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP). It is conceived as a comprehensive suite of interventions at job creation by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment that is aimed at facilitating the creation of 2.5 million jobs, directly and indirectly, on an annual incremental basis whilst simultaneously ensuring the welfare and safety of workers across the country.
“…Fellow Nigerians, better days are ahead of us. The challenges of the moment must always make us believe in ourselves. We are Nigerians—resilient and tenacious. We always prevail and rise above our circumstances.
“I urge you to believe in our nation’s promise. The road ahead may be challenging, but we will forge a path toward a brighter future with your support. Together, we will cultivate a Nigeria that reflects the aspirations of all its citizens, a nation that resonates with pride, dignity, and shared success.
“As agents of change, we can shape our destiny and build a brighter future by ourselves, for ourselves and for future generations.
“Please join our administration in this journey towards a brighter future. Let us work together to build a greater Nigeria where every citizen can access opportunities and every child can grow up with hope and promise.”
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