Civil Society Organisations(CSOs) have called on youths to embrace mentorship, learning and acquire skills for self development .
The CSOs made the call at an event to commemorate the International Youth Day 2022 with the theme: “Inter-generational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised by Africado Foundation working towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Country Director, Plan International, Mr Usie Emmamuzou, said that youths needed to follow the ladder of growth and development to achieve sustainability for their lives.
“There is a time when you need to learn and undergo tutelage and coaching.
”In the political space, the young ones are too fixated on the presidency whereas there is a lot going on at the state and local government levels.
“The kind of Nigeria we want won’t be instigated only from the presidency.
”Many of us live in the states that do not even get their acts right.”
Emmamuzou stated that more young people are needed in state houses of assembly, as well as councilors and local governments chairmen.
”That is how you take hold of a state and have a decent policy and overtime you now begin to aspire for presidency.”
“Some of the politicians we see today who are aspiring for presidency next year, have had this ambition for the last 25 years consistently.
”But, young people would want to have an ambition today and actualise it next year,” he said.
Emmamuzou maintained that young persons in the country were too fixated on the office of the president and usually want instant gratification without proper planning.
He said, ”older persons would continue to lead the nation after President Muhammadu Buhari, except youths change their attitude towards governance.
”Nigeria is bigger than one person and so citizens should not depend on the dictates of a president alone to change the country.”
He said that one of the challenges with the Not-Too-Young-To-Run movement was the fact that youths do not aspire for counselor and local government chairman positions, ”but want to be president straight away.
” It does not work like that, it takes planning and timing and it’s all a gradual process.
“The young ones are usually short sighted with plans and want immediate gratification and it doesn’t always work like that.
“Though, it may work for some people in the short term, but if you study any successful organisation or individual, you will find out that none of them had shortened the process.
“If you look at rich and prosperous countries, you will know that they went through a process and a phase that many young people in my opinion do not want to pay that price, “he said.
Emmamuzou, therefore, called on youths to be intentional in the area of politics and governance by joining political parties.
Mr Richardson Ojeka, Founder, Africado Foundation urged citizens to build integrity and look out for candidates with good qualities to adopt and vote so as to get credible leaders in 2023 elections.
Ojeka said that youths have vital roles to play in the 2023 General Elections, ”so they should unite with one voice and vote for someone with vision.”
He also encouraged youths not to vote along party lines,”but for candidates with influence and capabilities to deliver the dividends of democracy.
“You need to have someone who also has influence. We need to vote for people who can go into communities in the interests of young people.
“That is the way I think youths need to vote. Not for party, but the candidates, regardless of any party, the deciding factor for youths should be competence.”
Ojeka further said that the mission of Africado Foundation was to end unemployment in Nigeria using technology.
He said, ”this is because most of the major challenges facing the country like; insecurity, banditry, cyber-crimes and others, were due to unemployment.”
He said that there was need to solve the problems using technology by making it available and reachable to all.
”The under-served, and the underprivileged among others should be reached to serve as tools for national transformation,” he urged. (NAN)
