The Director General of Voice of Nigeria, VON, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, has urged Nigerian youth to take responsibility and be part of the solution to the country’s challenges by leveraging the opportunities presented through President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda rather than complaining.
He emphasised that young people, as the future leaders of any nation, must conduct themselves responsibly and be agents of change.
Mallam Ndace said, “I encourage young people to seize the opportunities presented by President Tinubu’s administration through the Renewed Hope Agenda. Don’t ignore the opportunities or be swayed by lamentations. As a Nigerian citizen, you have the right to critique government policies constructively. But while doing so, also seek out the opportunities available, such as the student loan scheme and other programmes open to young people.”
The Director General advised them to desist from lamentation and be part of the solutions to Nigerian problems.
He said, “The fact that we are here doesn’t mean there are no challenges. As young people, where do you want to stand? Do you want to be part of the solution, or do you want to be among those who are lamenting? Lamenting, no matter how long, will not solve the problem. Challenges will always exist, but the real question is: What are you doing to contribute to the solution? I encourage the young people here to see this meeting as a mentoring opportunity, a chance to learn the ropes and gain insights from the older generation.”
Mallam Ndace explained that while social media offers many opportunities for positive social development, young people must use it responsibly to drive the desired changes in society.
“Social media has become an integral part of our lives. If you set out to travel abroad for school or any other reason, countries will check out your social media page and handle to find out the kind of person that you are. They want to find out whether you are a bully, a religious jingoist and so on. For those of you who follow development around the world, we know that even the concept of security has changed. It has been redefined not just in terms of physical security, but it has been redefined to include food security, health security, job security, self-esteem, and whatever,” VON DG explained.
Youth investment
He further called for increased investment in young people.
“As young people, we must recognise the importance of investing not only in the socio-economic development of our society but, most importantly, in our people, so they can take full advantage of the opportunities available around the world,” he said.
Also speaking, the founder of the Ebaidebheki Initiative and the convener of the workshop, Ebaide Omiunu, said development is all about transforming the lives of people and not just transforming economies; therefore, there must be a deliberate investment in social development.
Ms Omiunu said, “You would agree with me that several nations of the world have gone through a lot of things, just like we are going through in Nigeria. The SDGs blueprint says that we leave no one behind. And if we all take some level of responsibility, the whole world—I mean, everyone in every country, in every society—things will be better. With that knowledge, with that mindset, if we all decide to take up something, some measure of duty, acknowledging that social development is a fact, it’s a way, it’s a thriving way to bring us right from that shelter to where we want to be.”
She, however, cited examples of countries that have invested in social development and are thriving.
“Look at North Korea, for example. North Korea in the 1950s went from an aid nation to a development nation. It moved from a country that was constantly seeking aid, from one the poorest countries in the world to today a very formidable country with sustainable development thriving. Today, North Korea can boast of 90% access to good health care in their country. Let’s come back home. Rwanda. A country that has built resilience over time. A country that has risen from the rubble up to where they are. We all know the story of Rwanda. These are stories that should encourage us. They should give us hope that indeed, for us as a nation, to move from where we are to the next level, we cannot water down, we cannot water down the importance of social development,” she said
Ms Omiunu stressed that it was time nations put words to actions to move forward.
“Every year, from February 10th to 15th, we gather in New York at the United Nations House to discuss the Commission for Social Development and ask ourselves, ‘What can we do to save the world?’ While we go there to gain guidelines, support, and encouragement, the truth remains: we can talk all we want, but the work is here. It’s time to move beyond talk and turn our engagement into action. That’s the bottom line of today’s conversation. While people here may have not yet taken action, they are eager to partner, to learn, and to be involved. But beyond these conversations, it’s time to turn our discussions into tangible actions,” she said
Other highlights of the workshop were panel discussions and breakout sessions.
The workshop was organised by the Ebaidebheki Initiative, which partners with Voice of Nigeria, VON, as one of the sponsors.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
Comments are closed.