TheNewsGuru

Tag: Youths

  • 2019: Get involved, stop bothering old men like me – Soyinka charges youths

    2019: Get involved, stop bothering old men like me – Soyinka charges youths

    Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka on Thursday advised Nigerian youths to get involved in politics and stop politicians of his age from getting any political office come 2019.

    Soyinka spoke at Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State while delivering the institution’s 2nd convocation lecture.

    Addressing the topic, Tending the Tree of Commencement, the literary professor, urged Nigerian youth to be dedicated and remain active in politics.

    While urging the youth to participate actively in the coming general elections, Mr Soyinka urged them to ensure they had representatives in government in the coming dispensation.

    He lamented that old politicians who had dominated the political space and are still in power, have failed the country over the years.

    In extolling the virtues displayed by some youth, he highlighted the stand of Leah Shuiab, one of the female secondary school students kidnapped in Dapchi, Yobe State, by Boko Haram insurgents.

    He praised her firmness, comparing her to the likes of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, who chose to remain in prison despite the offer of freedom by the government of South Africa.

    “All I can just tell you is this; don’t make the mistake of following those who failed you before; those who are pretending that they have nothing to do with the disaster that has overtaken Nigeria,” he said.

    “They are very quick to smell failure, they are very quick to shout it; but then, they exculpate themselves, whereas they are the founding malfeasance of the Nigerian condition: that is what I am warning (the) youth against. Mobilize, get your representatives and stop bothering geriatrics like myself. ”

    He also lamented the scrapping of history in the curriculum of secondary schools in the country, saying it has made people forget their historical backgrounds.

    In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, and a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Ayo Banjo, said there was a need for the country to pay attention to the training of teachers.

    According to him, teachers should be well paid, to encourage them for better service delivery.

    “If you want education to improve in Nigeria, there should be more funding, more money to provide conducive environment, more money for training of teachers,” he said.

    “For instance, you cannot be in the army without having frequent training. The Army do not joke with training. Every three or four years, they go for (an) update on their training.”

     

  • Youths burn police officer’s residence in Edo

    Some youths in Evbuomama community in Ikpoba-Okah Local Government Area of Edo have set ablaze the residence of a police officer following the death of one, Glory Imarogie.

    The deceased was said to have died in a hospital after he was allegedly tortured at the Edo Police headquarters.

    He was said to have been arrested after he had an altercation with his landlord, a serving police officer, SP Austin Ehiziegbe.

    His landlord was said to have been annoyed because late Glory’s niece celebrated her birthday at his residence without his permission.

    A fracas was said to have ensued between the landlord and his tenant when the deceased and his brothers resisted attempts to stop the birthday party.

    SP Austin allegedly invited policemen from the Anti-Cult Unit and told his colleagues that cult members had invaded his residence to celebrate a birthday party.

    Father of the deceased, a retired police officer, Mr Joseph Imarogie, said his two sons were arrested during the birthday party of his grand daughter because the landlord said he did not give them permission.

    Imarogie said his sons were arrested and tortured till they were granted bail, but one of his sons had already taken ill.

    He said Glory later died at the hospital.

    “This policeman asked why would my son celebrate birthday without permission.

    “He locked the gate and brought out pistol. We begged him that we will come and see him after the party, but he did not agree.

    “I was at the hospital with my son and did not know about the mob action,” Imarogie said.

    A niece of the landlord, Odion Jimoh, said the deceased and his brothers dragged the gun with his uncle after a first shot was fired before the anti-cult arrested them.

    On his part, the landlord said he was surprised when he received a call that the house had been set ablaze.

    “I received a call this morning that the boy that fought me and was granted bail was rushed to the hospital where he died.

    “My family later called me that people have set fire on the house.”

    Edo police spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident and said some persons had been arrested.

     

  • Nigerian youths are lazy comment: Buhari goofed, should tender apology – APC Senator

    Senator representing Kaduna Central (All Progressives Congress, APC) on the floor of the Senate, Shehu Sani has said President Muhammadu Buhari erred on his recent statement at the Commonwealth meeting on Wednesday that ‘Nigerian youths are lazy, uneducated and want freebies.’

    The outspoken senator, however, advised the president to accept his mistake and tender his apologies to the Nigerian youths.

    Sani said this in a Facebook post on Friday. He also requested that the president tell the youths what he had done for them and what he would do for them in future.

    His post reads: “The President should simply withdraw the statement on the youths and apologize; and tell them what he will do for them in addition to what he had done for them.The President spin doctors are trying to spray fragrances on the feces and lace the dung with olive oil, it’s absurd.The President is a human being, he can gaffe and should be forgiven and should not be sent to the political guillotine.

    As for the Youths, the challenge is to pick the baton and lead and stop holding the Alsatian Dogs of the political elite.The President echos the perception of the bourgeoisie power elites, the youths must rise against it.”

  • Again, Presidency knocks Nigerians for ‘twisting’ Buhari’s ‘Nigerian youths are lazy’ comment

    The Presidency on Thursday lashed out at some Nigerians for allegedly twisting President Muhammadu Buhari’s comment on Nigerian youths.

    Recall that the president’s statement at a forum in London on Wednesday where he described some Nigerian youths as lazy and wanting freebies has been generating controversies on social media and other public discourse platforms.

    Reacting to the controversy through a statement, spokesperson to the president. Femi Adesina insisted the remarks had been twisted by “manipulators” and “mischief makers”.

    Below Adesina’s statement in full:

    PRESIDENT BUHARI COULDN’T HAVE DERIDED ALL NIGERIAN YOUTHS

    At the Commonwealth Business Forum in London on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari gave a keynote address on Making Business Easier Between Commonwealth Countries. The presentation was followed by a discussion, and question and answer session.

    Responding to a question, President Buhari had cause to talk about some Nigerian youths, and he said: ” We have a very young population; our population is estimated conservatively to be 180 million. More than 60 per cent of the population is below the age of 30. A lot of them have not been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria has been an oil producing country, therefore they should sit and do nothing and get housing, healthcare and education free.”

    Typical of their stock in trade, manipulators and twisters of statements of Mr President, who lie in wait to make mischief, interpreted the comment to mean that President Buhari had taken all Nigerian youths to the cleaners. But elementary English recognizes a wide gulf between “a lot of” and the word “all.” How can “a lot of them,” suddenly transmogrify to mean “all of them?” Mischievous and unconscionable!

    There is no way President Buhari, father of the Nigerian nation in every sense of the word, who equally has biological children of his own in the youths age bracket, pass a vote of no confidence on all youths. It can only exist in the imagination of those who play what the President has described as “irresponsible politics” with everything.

    President Buhari has always applauded and celebrated Nigerian youths who excel in different areas of endeavour, from sports, to academia, and other realms. And he will continue to do so, because he values the youths, and knows that they are the fulcrum on which the future of the country rests.

    Indeed, every country has its share of idle population, and it is the bounden duty of government at all levels, to create an enabling environment for them to actualize their potentials. That is what President Buhari is committed to doing.

    The focal areas of the administration; securing the country, reviving the economy, and fighting corruption, are actually intended to give youths a future and a hope. This much was emphasized in an April 5, 2018 comment by President Buhari, while receiving Letter of Credence from the Head of Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria, when he said: ” Our insistence on probity is to encourage people to be accountable, and accept honesty as a lifestyle so as to secure the future of our youths.’’ The President also said more than 60 percent of Nigerians fall into the age category of youths and deserve to inherit a stable and prosperous country that they can be proud of, adding that the government will work assiduously to prevent waste and the depletion of resources by corrupt Nigerians.

    It is futile for mischief makers to lie in wait, and take a minor part of the words of the President, and turn it into negative commentary, peradventure they could diminish the profile of the President. Nigerians across all walks of life know who is serving them faithfully and truly, and they will always reciprocate such fidelity as occasions demand.

     

    Femi Adesina

    Special Adviser to the President

    (Media and Publicity)

    April 19, 2018

  • Atiku blasts Buhari over ‘Nigerian youths are lazy’ comment

    Former Vice President and presidential hopeful, Atiku Abubakar has replied President Muhammadu Buhari over his comments that ‘Nigerian youths are lazy and want everything for free’.

    Recall that President Buhari while speaking at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Westminster on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, said the country’s youthful population is reliant on the notion that Nigeria is an oil-rich nation, which leads to the demand for free things.

    He said, “About the economy, we have a very young population, our population is estimated conservatively to be 180 million. This is a very conservative one.

    “More than 60 percent of the population is below 30, a lot of them haven’t been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria has been an oil producing country, therefore, they should sit and do nothing, and get housing, healthcare, education free.”

    However, in almost an instantaneous reaction, the former vice president took to his Twitter account to counter the president’s statement in a series of tweet.

    He noted that as an employer of labour, he has thousands of Nigerian youths on his payroll all over the country that has proved their worth as innovative and hardworking over the years.

    He tweeted: “I will never refer to Nigeria’s youth as people who sit and do nothing. They are hardworking. I should know, I have thousands of youths working for me all over the country who have been the backbone to our success.

    I’ve always said oil is not Nigeria’s greatest asset. Our greatest asset is our youth who created Nollywood out of nothing and an entertainment industry that is second to none in Africa.

    Another tweeter handle, obviously opened for the former VP’s presidential ambition tweeted to buttress Atiku’s points:

    Our youth are charting new frontiers; creating a huge tech industry on their own! Their entrepreneurial spirit, work ethic, and creative abilities are things of pride and should be applauded, encouraged and nurtured. Atiku businesses are being managed by youths, not even above the age 35. He believes in Nigeria’s youths and he’s coming on board with 40% inclusion of youths in his cabinet,” his tweets read.

  • 2019: PDP woos Nigerian youths; announces “generation next” plan

    The National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, on Wednesday said the party was coming up with “Generation Next” programme for repositioning youths to take over leadership in 2019.

    Secondus made the disclosure at the opening of PDP Youth Leaders meeting in Abuja.

    He said that the programme was designed to prepare the youth to take over political leadership in the country.

    According to him, with the programme, age barrier will be removed and a 25-year old that is popular and intelligent can be voted into power as governor.

    Secondus urged the youth to mobilise young people in their communities irrespective of party affiliation to rescue the country in 2019.

    He also charged the youth to rise and defend marginal unity and democracy in the country.

    According to him, any nation whose youth are not participating in the development process is heading for doom.

    The chairman recalled that at 32, Gen. Yakubu Gowon became Head of State and that with youthful energy, presided and piloted over the affairs of Nigeria.

    He said that MGowon succeeded in keeping Nigeria as a united entity along with other military governors who were also youths.

    “Unless you come out and volunteer to make that sacrifice, you will not be noticed and the country will be missing you.

    “Today is the day to go into memory lane, make firm declaration and stand by it; the country needs the youth and the party is ready to allow you participate,” he said.

    Secondus said that Nigeria had never been polarised as being witnessed currently, adding that unless the youth rose to rescue the nation, there would be nothing left for the next generation.

    He said that the rebranded PDP was practising internal democracy and assured that henceforth, they would be no imposition of candidates in the party.

    He revealed that there was a new reward system in PDP and that only those who delivered their polling units for the party at elections would get appointment.

    Earlier, the National Youth Leader of the party, Sunday Ude-Okoye, had said that the meeting was to avail youths the opportunity to deliberate on strategies to take over power in 2019.

    He said that youths in the country were angry as majority of them had no jobs, yet they were being displaced and losing their lives and property to violence.

    Ude-Okoye said the youths wished to return home to a healthy living, stating that democracy must be allowed to run smoothly.

  • We must sensitize Niger Delta youths to dangers of militancy – NDDC MD

    The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Nsima Ekere, has urged major stakeholders to sensitize youths in the Niger Delta on the dangers of militancy and other social vices.

    Ekere, who spoke when leaders of the Port Harcourt Club 1928 paid him a courtesy visit at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, stressed the need for peace and security to attract investments to the region.

    He charged members of the Port Harcourt Club, whom he described as strong opinion leaders, to join in the effort to sanitize the Niger Delta, lamenting that most of the businesses that used to operate out of Port Harcourt have closed or re-located.

    The NDDC Chief Executive Officer remarked that investors need maximum security. He charged the leaders of Port Harcourt Club to advise the youths of the Niger Delta and make them understand that security would allow more businesses to operate from the region and thus create more jobs for them.

    Ekere regretted that the world biggest refinery is being built in Lagos by a private investor. He said: “Millions of dollars will be used to construct pipelines to take the crude from the Niger Delta to Lagos. You can imagine the number of jobs that will be created if that facility were to be built in the Niger Delta. Imagine the multiplier effect in the economy.”

    The NDDC boss declared that the current board of the Commission had been working very hard to change the story of the interventionist agency since it took over 15 months ago.

    He said: “When we came on board we came with a very ambitious plan to restructure the NDDC. We articulated what we called the 4-R strategy. To restructure our balance sheet because it was over-bloated. A lot of projects were abandoned and there was over-trading. We identified the fact that for us to progress, we must of necessity restructure our balance sheet.

    “We decided that we cannot continue to add to the liabilities. So, in our budget for 2017, we decided to dedicate 70 per cent of the budget to on-going projects to enable us concentrate on those projects and complete them. Only 30 per cent is dedicated to salaries, overheads and new projects. We also took measures restore the Commission to its core mandate.”

    Ekere said that the NDDC was now concentrating on big ticket projects that would lead to economic integration of the Niger Delta, noting that it made sense to focus on doing those things that would change the economy of the region by providing sustainable and meaningful infrastructure.

    He also said that the NDDC had decided to re-order its governance protocol, adding that the Commission must be run as an international best practice organization. Ekere assured: “We should respect laws and policies. We must follow due process in awarding contracts. So, we have decided to strengthen the governance system of NDDC. We re-dedicated ourselves to doing what is right and proper at all times.”

    Ekere expressed delight that the changes at NDDC was already getting positive feed-backs from the international community, the business community and the Federal Government. According to him, “they recognize that NDDC is now doing things differently.” He commended the NDDC staff for being instrumental to the change that was taking place in the Commission.

    Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Port Harcourt Club 1928, Dr Diamond Tobin-West, commended the NDDC for rendering numerous forms of assistance to the club, especially in the area of sponsoring sporting competitions.

    He said that the Port Harcourt Club had never had it so good in its relationship with NDDC, appealing for more assistance as it prepares to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the club this year.

    Dr Tobin-West also appealed for the completion of the sports complex being built by NDDC for the club.

     

  • NAF advocates increased security consciousness among youths

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has advocated for increased security consciousness amongst Nigerian youths as a way of engendering a flawless Nigerian society.

    The Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI) Headquarters NAF, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Olatokunbo Adesanya, reiterated this advocacy on 7 March 2018 while delivering a lecture at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) as part of programmes to mark the University’s 2018 Law Week. The theme of the Law Week is ‘Law and Security: Fostering a Flawless Society’.

    According to AVM Adesanya, the relationship between law and order is direct and interwoven and cannot be separated from the other in an effort to have a near flawless society.

    He maintained that it might be impossible to attain a totally flawless society because respective human beings have individual choices to do either what is wrong or right. Nevertheless, the citizenry must make every effort towards having a flawless society.

    Speaking further during his lecture titled, ‘Role of Security Agencies in Engendering a Flawless Society: the Nigerian Air Force in Perspective’, AVM Adesanya stated that it is only in a near flawless society that there could be true prosperity in a peaceful and orderly environment.

    He further averred that it is only by operating within the ambient of existing statutes that security agencies could contribute to the engendering of a flawless society. Accordingly, the law and the security should be seen as two sides of the same coin if we must aspire to become a flawless society.

    He added that although the journey towards becoming a flawless society is collective, it begins with individual choices to be orderly and to encourage others to be orderly.

    The NAF Spokesman therefore encouraged the Law undergraduates, who would chart the future of law in Nigeria in the coming years, according to him, to be very mindful of their individual and collective responsibilities towards fostering a flawless Nigerian society.

    He also urged them to be more security conscious while being mindful that they would work side by side with security agencies and not on opposite sides.

    The DOPRI used the opportunity to reel out the several humanitarian intervention programmes, which the NAF had embarked upon in the last 3 years in different parts of the country.

    He revealed that the humanitarian programmes were part of NAF’s contributions towards engendering a flawless society. AVM Adesanya revealed that NAF’s recent humanitarian intervention schemes include the free treatment given to nearly 300,000 Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) across the country, including free surgical operations, free cancer screening and treatment, in addition to provision of free eyeglasses.

    The revelation elicited a resounding round of applause from the staff and students of the institution, who were obviously unaware of the extent to which the NAF had gone in providing succour to IDPs.

    The NAF’s decision to accept to deliver the lecture is part of its efforts at mentoring the youths, as future leaders, towards laying a solid foundation for a more secured Nigerian society in the nearest future.

    The NAF has indeed established strong links with members of the academia in the past few years with the belief that the absence of such linkages, in the past, had hindered national development.

     

     

  • We’re opening up political space to accommodate youths – FG

    We’re opening up political space to accommodate youths – FG

    As the 2019 general elections draw near, the Federal Government says it will open up the political space to accommodate young people in the country.

    Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Solomon Dalung, stated this in New York while presenting a paper on: ‘The role of youth in building sustainable and resilient communities’.

    Dalung, who told participants at the Seventh Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum at UN Headquarters, said the youth were now asking the elders for a space to participate.

    This was just as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed in a message to the event that “young people are leaders of today, not just tomorrow”.

    Dalung said: “The ‘Not Too Young to Rule’ law in Nigeria is a demonstration of the Nigerian nation to open up the political space to accommodate the young people.

    “Young people today are asking: where is the space for them to express themselves? They are asking the politicians – where is the space for their participation in governance?

    “They are asking the business community – how are you mentoring us to ensure inter-generational transition? They are asking policy makers – why are you planning our future without consulting us?

    “They are asking the United Nation: when will our space exist for us to participate”.

    According to him, the case for urgent, participatory, and inclusive engagement with young people has never held as much potential for return as now.

    According to him, young people, if empowered, either as individuals or through their organisations or work places, are productive force that can add positive value to their communities.

    He said when a nation leveraged on the numbers of the young people, harness their productivity, channel their energies and exploit their potential, the nation reaps the dividends.

    He called for a renewed commitment and attention to justice and equity from developed countries, saying they must ensure that their relationship with the developing countries are predicated on the principles of justice.

    “They must therefore rise to demonstrate greater social responsibility to tackle unfairness and imbalance over their decades of exploitation of natural and human resources of the developing nations,” he said.

    Dalung thanked ECOSOC for its continued partnership with the Ministry through the Economic Commission for Africa, in promoting the cause of young people in Nigeria.

    “Apart from the many capacity building opportunities offered to my staff in the last decade, we have worked variously towards achieving the five priority areas on youth in the Secretary-General’s Five-Year Action Agenda.

    “These are: employment and entrepreneurship, education, protection of rights and civic engagement, political inclusion and health, one of the last being the Regional Report on the Status of Youth in Africa.”

    Nigeria must exist to lead black race – Aregbesola

     

     

  • Drama as angry youths humiliate Ozekhome at Gani Fawehinmi lecture

    …accuses him of defending corrupt people

    There was pandemonium on Monday at the 14th Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture when angry protesters mobbed Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and stopped him from mounting the podium to speak.

    The incident happened at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, venue of the lecture organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch and which has as its theme: “Federalism, Restructuring and Good Governance: Striking a Balance”.

    Ozekhome, who arrived the venue at about 1.10 p.m., was stopped from entering the hall by the protesters comprising some youths and students. They milled round the senior lawyer singing songs composed of defamatory words as they stopped him from entering the hall.

    The incident forced the keynote speaker, a former Dean, Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo (OAU), Ile-Ife, Prof Demola Popoola to stop his paper for about 20 minutes.

    At the high table was the former General Secretary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Chief Frank Ovie Kokori, who was chairman of the event, and the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Oba Semiu Orimadegun Kasali among others.

    Ozekhome was slated as a contributor alongside Ms Onyeka Onwenu and Seun Kuti, son of late Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

    The protesters accused Ozekhome of defending personalities like Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, wife of former President, Mrs Patience Jonathan and Senate President Bukola Saraki among others, who they labeled as corrupt, contrary to the ideals for which the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi stood for.

    It took the intervention of Mr Femi Falana (SAN), the NBA Ikeja Chairman, Mr Adeshina Ogunlana and Mr Mohammed Fawehinmi to bring the situation under control.

    Mohammed told the protesting youths that his late father did not believe in violence but rather was very democratic.

    He said late Fawehinmi would not have approved what they did because Chief Ozekhome was at the event for a purpose.

    “This gathering is a democratic gathering and it is a gathering in which security should not restrict anybody”, he said adding that he was about nine years old when Chief Ozekhome was working as a counsel in his late father’s chamber.

    Ozekhome, who later addressed the gathering, told them that he was very close to the late Fawehinmi and that together they formulated and started the publication, “Nigerian weekly Law Report” .

    He said:”Gani fought across the country handling many cases including controversial ones.”

    He rcalled that when in 1983, the NBA said that lawyers should not defend alleged corrupt politicians under the administration of Gens. Muhammadu Buhari and Tunde Idiagbon when they were fighting corruption, “but Gani said No; these people are entitled to their rights.

    “By Section 36 of the Constitution, every person’s innocence is presumed; I was with Gani when we were defending the so-called corrupt politicians.

    “I am just coming now from the court where the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) wanted to freeze the account of a citizen via ex parte.

    “I just stopped them again for the 20th time, I will continue to fight the government which looks the other way when corruption is recorded in their system. “I have told Mr Magu three times to prosecute at least one person in their government so that we can show that corruption is being fought,’’ he said.

    “The Shiites that were mowed down during their protests, the massacre in Southern Kaduna, Enugu State and so many other incidents are as a result of lack of true federalism and restructuring,’’ he said.

    His address was punctuated by the protesters who shouted “lies, lies, lies’’ even as the senior advocate told the protesters that he would not be intimidated and called them hired protersters.

    Falana gave clarifications that the account given by Ozekhome should not be misunderstood to mean that Gani was a defender of corruption.

    Falana said Gani took on some cases to expose corruption and corrupt politicians.

    “He never filed a stay of proceedings. If you have a bad case, Gani would simply tell you that you have a bad case. Go and find out from your history books, Gani never defended anyone being tried by the EFCC or ICPC, I need to correct that misconception”, he said.

    Prof. Popoola, in his lecture titled, “ Re-Inventing the Nigerian State: Imperatives, Prospects and Challenges of Federalism, Restructuring and Good Governance” said the country cannot have meaningful restructuring without economic restructuring.

    He said tit would be difficult for the country to free herself from the many problems it is going through now, including restructuring, not until the people start thinking like global citizens.