LAGOS – The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Lagos State Chapter, on Friday said it was time for young people to shun violence and make meaningful contributions to the nation’s democracy.
The NYCN’s National President, Adeeso Sadiq, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the country’s democracy was about youths hence the need for them to be relevant in nation building.
“Today democracy is all about youth, but unfortunately the youths have not seen it from that perspective.
“If you trace Nigerian history, for those that have contributed to the history of this country, they are within that youthful age when they had that synergy to contribute positively.
“Therefore, we are now calling on fellow youth that it is time for us to come on board because as much as you fail to come on board; the set of people that will continue to clamour that this country is not having good governance will continue.
“And by the time they want to go they will just give it to untrained children of theirs.
“The will is number one; number two is to have the interest of political participation.
“You can’t say you have a will and don’t have interest, the “will’’ will lead you to interest and after having the interest, you can’t fold hand, go there and participate.
“From participation then you become relevant.
In the same vein, the Secretary General of Omoluabi Youth Forum, Mr Saliu Adekunle, advised younger people to focus on what would make them relevant in the society.
“The youth should have focused on themselves, if the leader failed to focus on us.
“It is high time for us to realise where we are going and what we want, what we need to make us a reasonable personality.
“If the leader fails, does that mean we will fail ourselves? This is our aspiration and this is our determination.
“Today we are talking about Boko Haram; Boko Haram is never a 70-year-old personality but the youth. Why? Because the government failed to provide jobs for the youth.
“The way forward is just for them to realise what we need. What do we need? The first thing is jobs.
“If they solve the problem of unemployment in this nation, the problem of this nation will be solved by half.
A Student of Birrel Avenue Senior High School, Yaba, Asuka Chikodiri, stressed that youths had important roles to play in the growth of the nation’s democracy.
“The youths have not been involved in this system of government called democracy.
“The youths are today’s leaders so they need to start that leadership role today; if today’s leader which are the youths should stand up on their right and partake in this government, democracy will be redefined.
“The government should involve the youth in this government so that everybody can have a say and can make decision because it is the government of the people. (NAN)
