Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has counseled youths across the country to channel their bubbling energies and talents towards positively productive and rewarding activities.
By this, he said they would help to galvanise the potentials that abound in the country for the overall benefit of the entire Nigerian people regardless of ethnic, religious, social or whatever differences.
Specifically, he advised the youths to join hands with government at the three levels including local, state and federal, in utilising their talents on efforts meant to build Nigeria into a haven of peace.
The governor spoke on Wednesday in Akure, the state capital at the inauguration of the new state executive of the state’s chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN.
Akeredolu, who was represented at the occasion by his Senior Special Assistant on Youth and Students Affairs, Comrade Muyiwa Ogunyemi, advised the youths to embrace peace on all fronts while pursuing their self development and form a common front to harness the tremendous opportunities that abound within and outside their states of residence to improve their lots.
Noting that the strength of any government worldwide lies on the youths, Akeredolu charged the the newly inaugurated NYCN executive in the state to bring all the youth on same page to ensure accelerating youth development in the state.
Besides, he urged the body to collaborate with his government and particularly the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development for them to reap more dividends of democracy.
Akeredolu charged the newly inaugurated executive to bring all the youth on same page to ensure accelerating youth development in the state.
On his own, NYCN National President, Ambassador Sukubo Saraigbe Sukubo described the inauguration as a wake up call and era of youth rebirth in Ondo State.
He charged that the youths must come together, form a common front and speak with one voice for them to harness the opportunities that abound in the state
Sukubo who was represented by the Vice President Southwest, Ambassador Amosu Tomi thanked the Lord for bringing the body together to be able to coordinate the youth activities in the state and compliment the efforts of the government.
Guest lecturer at the event, Prof Afolabi Aribigbola of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, (AAUA, who spoke on the theme “Food Security and Social Economic Development Youth Participation Key to National Building” said for Nigeria to ensure food security the youth must be encouraged and mobilised to take agriculture as a profession.
The Urban and Regional Planning Professor, added that government must create enabling environment that will attract the youth to go into farming in terms of provision of training, loan facilities, equipment which they can work with.
He said government must also develop the rural areas by providing good roads, portable water and electricity to discourage rural urban migration.
In his acceptance speech, the newly inaugurated NYCN Ondo State chapter chairman, Pathfinder Mattew Ogunmolawa, flanked by his Deputy, Sanitarian Adenike Atoyebi, thanked the state government for its fatherly role in ensuring peace among the youths of the state.
Ogunmolawa promised to organise the first of its kind retreat in the state before the end of the year that will have over 5000 youths in attendance.
Ogunmolawa’s words: “I will use the NYCN platform to better the lot of our youth in Ondo state, by collaborating with the government and private sector to fight the cause of the youth in the state.
“NYCN is one, no division. We will bring the few that were aggrieved on board. There is no winner, no vanquished; we will ensure we remain one indivisible body and coordinate other youth bodies. We are not a political party and we won’t involve ourselves in any politics.”
“Our constitution is very clear and we are going to hold on to it.”
