Diaspora groups to host youth summit on positive change

The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Americas (NIDOA) and Nigeria Diaspora Network (NDN) have agreed to organise a virtual youth summit to drive transformational impact and positive change in the country.

The Chairman, Publicity of NIDOA/NDN Planning Committee, Dr Barth Shepkong, stated this on Wednesday in a statement he issued in Abuja.

Shepkong said the summit, scheduled to take place on April 9, is titled: ‘Youth and National Development in Nigeria’.

“In 2022, NIDOA and NDN are embarking on a collaborative partnership to host a Diaspora Nigerian Youth Summit. The goal of the youth summit is to bring all Nigerian Youths together, motivate them, get them involved and give them a sense of direction to drive transformational impact and positive change in Nigeria.

“Both organisations see the Nigerian youths as a catalyst for change and formidable force to make impact in their communities and our country Nigeria. A core objective of this collaboration is to establish a foundation and a movement to inspire the young people to serve their communities and raise the bar on what we can achieve together,” he said.

Shepkong said the groups are neither a political movement nor planning to create political parties.

“This is not a political movement, and we are not here to create political parties or endorse a political candidate. Rather, we are here to drive transformational change in our young people and our country, Nigeria,” he said.

He said the groups understand that government alone cannot solve the myriads of issues facing the country, hence, the need to impact in the youths the knowledge and experience that would help shape them for better Nigeria.

Some of the guest speakers at the summit include Prof. Usman Yusuf, former executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS); and Petra Akinti Onyegbule, chief responsibility officer of LibraPrime Communications Ltd.

Others are Dr Tunji Abayomi, civil right leader and ambassador; Toye Sobande, leadership expert, lawyer and certified management consultant and Destiny Asen, chief executive officer, Perfect Asen Entertainment Ltd.