The Nigerian Diaspora Youth Ambassador (NDYA) has organised a one-day summit and award ceremony to recognize outstanding politicians, entrepreneurs, youth leaders, transitional leaders, among others.
In attendance at the event held Thursday in Abuja were Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator representing Imo West, Owele Rochas Okorocha, Senator representing Abia North, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu (represented by his Senior Legislative Aide), President of NDYA, Comrade David Victor Alozie, Sarkin Arewa Students, Makinta Jodah, Deputy President National Youth Council of Nigeria, Innocent Nwobodo Nduanya, among others.
Addressing participants at the event, President of NDYA, Comrade David Victor Alozie, said that youths shouldn’t wait for government to everything, revealing that the organisation has organised different skill acquisition programmes to help in curbing unemployment and insecurity in Nigeria.
He said: “The issue of unemployment is a major concern in Nigeria. However, we shouldn’t wait for goverment to do everything. As NDYA, we have initiated skill acquisition programmes for youths to curb unemployment. We engage in the reorientation of youths and sponsoring them to succeed in the different skills they have. You can see people engaging in cooking, plaiting of hair, among others. This has helped the crime rate to reduce.
“We brought our programmes down to Nigeria because we are saddened by the constant protests, killings and other forms of insecurity and we hope the issues will be solved with time. As NDYA, we have met several youth bodies. So, I advise the youths to reflect on their future. They should do all they can to acquire skills for survival. We are here to help in our own way to achieve a better Nigeria.”
Also speaking, Senator Rochas Okorocha said that youths should unite to take over power from the older generation in 2023, instead of whiling away time on frivolities and complaining of unemployment, even as he demanded that the youth must do what they can to curb the menace.
He said: “We are hoping that we will correct past mistakes and build a country that we will all be proud of. There is a vacuum in Nigeria. This nation has created a vacuum for young men and women who will rewrite the story of Nigeria and that is the present generation of Nigerian youths. I represent a generation that links the old and the new generation. One of the challenges of youths has been getting proper mentorship and guidance.
“When you look at Nigeria, you see pains and helplessness for a problem you never created. That’s the reason most youths organised the #EndSARS protest, the reason for the agitation for the republic of Biafra in the South East, Oduduwa Republic in the South West, creation of havoc in Borno in the name of Boko Haram, killer herdmen in Zamfara, Katsina, among others. However, all hope is not lost to rewrite the story of youths.
“Going forward, the youth must be focused and work towards a better tomorrow, instead of focusing on mistakes of years past and continually blaming leaders. 2023 is around the corner and youths must unite to fight the older politicians and claim power. Youths can achieve anything with unity of purpose. Instead of lamenting of unemployment and waiting for white collar jobs, create jobs and employ others. Political office is not a job. It is an avenue for some criminals, who want to steal, except for those who made it in personal businesses before taking up political positions as secondary jobs. The president can’t survive on N750,000 per month or a state governor with N600,000 monthly salary, except for other avenues to make money.
“In a nutshell, whatever you must do as a youth to succeed in life, do it now. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t wait to do for tomorrow what you can do today. Don’t wait to make millions before you can build a house or get married, you can start small. Every problem will get weak with persistence, so continue pursuing like a lion; in order to defeat the elephant that is the problem facing Nigerian youths.”
