The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Wednesday presented an award of recognition to Governor Yahaya Bello as the “Doyen and Mentor of Nigerian Youths” just as the group called on other governors to do the same in their respective states.
The award was in appreciation of Governor Bello’s youth inclusion in governance as well as support and advocacy for the Nigerian youths.
While presenting the award, President of NYCN, Ambassador Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, stated that “if other leaders in the country could emulate the governor’s youth inclusiveness drive, various youth agitations would be doused”.
Sukubo added that no government in the country has given the youth a voice like Governor Bello and added that aside from the domination of his cabinet by youth, the governor had severally given youth the enabling environment to thrive with several pro- youth legislations, initiatives and programs.
He assured the governor that he has the support of the youth through the NYCN’s network which spans the whole 36 states of the country.
In his remark after receiving the award, Governor Bello thanked the NYCN for the recognition and noted that he was humbled to have been recognised by the national youth body as the ambassador for the Nigerian youth.
He also appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for the recent appointment of a 40- year –old, Mr. Bawa Abdulrasheed as the new chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), noting that he has again demonstrated his love for the youth and his desire for them to succeed him.
The governor expressed worry over the rising intolerance between various ethnic and religious groups in different parts of the country noting that Nigerians seem to now be taking laws into their hands and unleashing terror against one another.
He said youth are the actors ad victims of these recent events with several women and children also as victims, adding that the end result was the worsening of the poverty condition of the country due to the destruction of properties and livelihood.
He stated that most conflict in the country were social political because they were social problems made worse by politics being spearheaded by selfish interest breed of politicians who are only concerned with advancing their personal cause.
The governor called for honesty in addressing the social inequalities in the Nigeria society, affirming that courage and forthright leadership were required in tackling evolving concerns of Nigeria.
Governor Bello noted that his administration inherited a largely divided Kogi state with several communal and ethnic conflicts as well as displacement of people from their home settlement, but his administration in five years has been able to solve all the problems decisively.
