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Tag: Youths

  • Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi speaks on money rituals

    Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi speaks on money rituals

    Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has called on youths to embrace hardwork and stop believing that money rituals exist.

    The Iwo monarch advised the youths to do what will earn them a legitimate living and shun social vices.

    The Oba who spoke in Iwo on Tuesday, after visiting some aged and vulnerable residents, to whom he gave money and food items.

    The royal father, who visited various compounds in the community distributing the items, also gave out cash to the beneficiaries.

    According to him, the notion of making money by engaging in rituals or criminal acts was alien to the Yoruba people and called on the leaders of the race to be of good reference point to the younger generation by being selfless and dedicated to a good cause.

    He said, “Money ritual is unreal. Money was introduced to us by the colonial masters. We spent shillings and pounds during their time.

    ”So, at what point in our existence did we start engaging in rituals to make money? Youths should be dedicated and work hard. Success will surely locate them.”

    The monarch said he decided to give the needy among his subjects food items to cushion the effects of the harsh economy on them.

    “This is a trying time in our country. There is a paucity of funds and scarcity of food – and as a king, I can’t bear to see my people suffer and that is why I’m giving out food to the aged and the vulnerable.

    “Although, people do come to my palace twice a week to eat, there are some people who can not come to the palace due to their age or disability. That is why I am out to distribute the food items and money.

    “I’m doing this without any religious or political bias. I am giving it out to everyone and I feel good about it. It is what I’m happy doing and I will continue doing,” Oluwo concluded.

  • 2023: Participate actively in politics – Sen Abe advises youths

    2023: Participate actively in politics – Sen Abe advises youths

    Ahead of the 2023 general elections, former representative of Rivers South-East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has called on Nigerian youths to actively participate in politics.

    Abe gave this advice when the leadership of the National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS) paid him a visit at his residence in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    The Senator, who said, it was erroneous for youths to think that votes were for politicians, said votes were for provision of water, electricity and job opportunities.

    He said: Pursue early in life, identity who you want to be and begin to mark your character in tune with who you want to be.

    “You talked about going to lobby students to go and register for voter’s cards. Nigeria is a democracy and everybody who is a citizen has an obligation to go and vote.

    “The reason we always think we have to go and beg people to come and vote, is because we have not let people know how important their votes are.

    “We think that the votes are for politicians and the politicians have to pay you to go and register, politicians have to pay you to go and vote. But the votes are about light, the votes are about water and they are about jobs.”

    Earlier in his remarks, NURSS National President, Comrade Precious Momoh, described Senator Abe as a student-friendly politician.

    Momoh said the union wants to embark on programmes, including sensitizing students on the need to go and register ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    He said: “NURSS wants to embark on voter-sensitization exercise in campuses in the state to avoid vote apathy in 2023.

    “We want to embark on symposium to let students know that education is paramount. A lot of youths now see education as a scam.

    “We have come to plead with you to assist us in executing any of the programmes. We want to assure you that we will continue to work with you.”

    Meanwhile, the National Union of Ogoni Students (NUOS), have conferred Senator Magnus Ngei Abe with a ‘Life Member’ (Pillar) award of the Union.

    Speaking during the conferment ceremony in Port Harcourt, President of the group, Comrade Dimkpa Raphael said the award was in recognition of Senator Abe’s numerous support and human capacity development programmes for students of Ogoni extraction.

    Dimkpa said: ‘Sir, this award is our little way of saying, ‘thank you’ for all you are doing and have done for the students community.

    “It is in accordance with the constitution of the National Union of Ogoni Students (NUOS) worldwide, that we confer on you, ‘Life Member’ (Pillar) of the Union.

    Responding, Senator Abe thanked the students and promised to identify with their programmes.

  • APC youth stakeholders protest over fear of imposition of member

    APC youth stakeholders protest over fear of imposition of member

    A group known as All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Stakeholders, on Friday, besieged the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja, as they protested against the imposition of any aspirant.

    
    The party had fixed March 26 as date for its national convention.

     

    The protest at the secretariat followed the report in the media that President Muhammadu Buhari has a preference for Senator Abdullahi Adamu to become the national chairman of the ruling party.

     

    The co-convener of the protesting group, Yunusa Yusuf while addressing journalists said the President, being a democrat, would not impose anyone on the party.

     

    He said: “We are saying that the party should not impose any candidate on the people. Party members and the delegates should be allowed to choose who will lead them at the national level.

     

    Yusuf noted that the mistakes that were made in the past must be corrected by the March 26 convention.

     

    He added. “We have recommended that all party stakeholders be allowed to make their input, should be allowed to say what they want; who would lead them; how, when, where and that is what we have settled for and that is why we are here today.”

     

    The stakeholders insisted that as far as they are concerned, the President has not endorsed anybody until he comes out to say that.

     

    They said they believe the President would allow the party members to express themselves because that was the process that brought him as President.

  • Nigerian youths converge in Abuja over Presidential assent to Electoral Bill 2022

    Nigerian youths converge in Abuja over Presidential assent to Electoral Bill 2022

    A group known as Yiaga Africa and some youths on Tuesday converged at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, to demand Presidential assent to the Electoral Bill 2022.

    Yiaga is a non-profit civic hub of change makers committed to the promotion of democratic governance, human rights and civic engagement.

    According to the Convener of @SituationRoomNg, Ene Obi, who posted on Twitter “Nigerians come out in their numbers to reactivate their citizenship to demand Presidential assent to the Electoral Bill 2022.

    “We are live at the Unity Fountain to demand Presidential assent to the Electoral Bill 2022.The President had promised on national TV to assent to the Electoral Bill 2022, we are here to ensure that the President Buhari gives assent to it.

    It would be recalled that the National Assembly had transmitted the reworked Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare, made this known via a statement he personally signed after the transmission.

    The statement, titled, ‘Transmission of the Electoral Bill 2022,’ reads: “The Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Olatunde Amos Ojo, has transmitted the authenticated copies of the Electoral Bill 2022 to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, on January 31, 2022.

    “This was done in accordance with the provisions of Section 58 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Acts Authentication Act Cap. A2 LFN 2004.

    “Mr. President had withheld assent to the Electoral Bill 2021 transmitted to him on November 19, 2021. The electoral bill was thereafter reworked by the National Assembly and both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed the same on January 25, 2022.”

    The House had amended Clause Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010, which is Clause 84 of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, by inserting the indirect primary option.

  • Zulum doles out N100m to 152 youths for renouncing thuggery

    Zulum doles out N100m to 152 youths for renouncing thuggery

    Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno on Friday, disbursed N100 million to 152 youths, who renounced thuggery, to enable them to set up their businesses.

    Zulum who inaugurated the disbursement exercise in Maiduguri, said the gesture was to assist the youths who completed one-month entrepreneurship training to engage in productive activities and contribute to the social and economic development of the state.

    He said that 16 of the beneficiaries would received N2 million each as seed capital while 136 others would get 500,000 each.

    According to him, the beneficiaries are expected to repay 50 per cent of the money given to them in three years.

    The governor also announced scholarship award to one child from each of the beneficiaries family, adding that the state government would sponsored their education.

    “You engaged in thuggery for many years but have nothing to show, with what we are giving you if you have good intention and the will to change, you’ll change for the better,” he said.

    In his remarks, Alhaji Saina Buba, Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Empowerment, said the beneficiaries had been supported under a special programme tagged: “Super Youth Entrepreneurship Training.

    “It is the first time in the state that many of the youths who engaged in thuggery since 1999 would be train and get support.

    “We hope it will go a long way in addressing thuggery in the state,” he said.

    Also speaking, Dr Mustapha Mohammed, Director of Entrepreneurship, Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri, said the youths were exposed to various trades including animal fattening, fisheries, poultry, entrepreneurial skills and e-business.

    One of the beneficiaries, Tijjani Daga, lauded the gesture and pledged to ensure effective utilisation of the support to improve their lives.

    “We are grateful to the governor for the support, and from today it is bye- bye to thuggery,” he said.

  • DAY 3: Itsekiri youths mount blockade at Shell facility

    DAY 3: Itsekiri youths mount blockade at Shell facility

    Protesting Itsekiri host communities of Ugborodo in Warri Southwest Local Government Area of Delta State on Sunday imposed a blockade on Shell Petroleum Development Company’s Ogidigben flow station in the area.

    Despite the presence of security operatives around the company, the protest, which started on Friday, continued on Sunday.

    According to some youths, the soldiers were brought to subdue the protest by all means.

    One of the protesters explained that the soldiers were deployed by the oil and gas major, who were intimidating and threatening to deal with them if they do not vacate the company’s premises by the end of Sunday.

    They claimed that the purported threat by security agents was capable of causing crisis in the area.

  • Obi Cubana blames ‘get-rich-quick syndrome’ among youths on societal, family pressures

    Obi Cubana blames ‘get-rich-quick syndrome’ among youths on societal, family pressures

    An Anambra-born business mugul, Obi Iyiegbu, popularly called Obi Cubana, has blamed the “get-rich-quick syndrome” among youths on societal and family pressures.

    Iyiegbu stated this in a post made on his verified Instagram page @ Obi_Cubana on Monday.

    He said, “In a world where we want everything quick, youths are often faced with a lot of pressure from both society and members of their families.

    He explained that at a young age, the families were already heaping “unrealistic “ responsibilities on youths.

    According to him, societal and family pressures are expectations that affect the entire community.

    He wrote: “Our youths are constantly forced to act and feel a certain way and society enjoys dictating how the youths should behave.

    “They feel the pressure of fitting into society’s norm and while family is fun, it can also be full of tensions.”

    The socialite added that pressures placed on youths to meet certain standard often lead to harmful outcomes.

    He argued that a lot of youths are going through depression because of the pressure and stress created by society and family.

    “These have made many of them to resort to drug abuse and excessive use of alcohol.

    “Many young people have to leave school just to fend for their families, especially young girls, who are on the streets because they need to send money home,” Iyiegbu stated.

    He listed pressures on the youths as “pressure from work to meet a certain target, especially in the banking sector, and from society to dress or look certain way.

    “There are pressure from school to pass exams and get a certain grade, pressure from the local churches to donate for one thing or another and pressure from friends.

    “Even on social media, some are now depressed for not getting a certain amount of likes on their posts,” he added.

    He emphasised the need for people to begin to shift their values and teach youths to learn to accept and love themselves and not live above their means “in a bid to belong”.

  • Osinbajo hails Duke of Edinburgh Nigerian youths awardees

    Osinbajo hails Duke of Edinburgh Nigerian youths awardees

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has commended the recipients of the International Award for Young People for their involvement in promoting awareness on climate change, mental health and advocacy against drug abuse.

    Osinbajo gave this commendation on Thursday in his address at the 2021 National Gold Award Presentation Ceremony at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.

    The International Award for Young People in Nigeria is the Nigerian version of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

    The vice president said that in the last 60 years the award had impacted on more than one million young people.

    He said that the award had also galvanised more than 180, 000 adult volunteers all over the world, including moblising young people to respond to the disruptive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe.

    “The award is a long running initiative of His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh of Blessed Memory; His highness has been described as one lived a life of service to his nation; to the Commonwealth and to the world at large.

    “His personal values of service above self shine through the conception and execution of this programme and we, in Nigeria remember with great fondness, his sense of humour, his kindness, common touch and his keenness to learn about other peoples and cultures remain evergreen in our memories of him.

    “The duke visited Nigeria four times clearly demonstrating how important Nigeria has been or was to him and to his several programmes and several programmes even in the area of conservation.

    “Tonight’s ceremony is an occasion for recognising the achievement of young people who have completed the Gold Standard of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.’’

    Osinbajo said that the event provided an opportunity of not only to showcase the resourcefulness of young Nigerians but also honour the values that the duke represented in his life time.

    According to him, the achievements that are being celebrated are of young people, who despite challenges have also challenged themselves to make a big difference to themselves and to their communities.

    “The recipients have learnt how to be responsible to themselves and their communities by participating in various voluntary activities, including community environmental sanitation, promoting awareness on climate change, advocacy on mental health and drug abuse issues.

    “Let me again commend the awardees for their outstanding achievement and the leaders, volunteers, instructors for their selfless commitment to the success of the young people,’’ he said.

    The vice president afterwards conferred the Gold Awards on the 44 young recipients.

    Mr Wale Edun, the Board Chair, International Award for Young People in Nigeria, told State House correspondents that the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award was conferred on 44 youngsters who were outstanding.

    He said that the awardees went through the programme which was of co-curricular, non-formal and out of the classroom education.

    “It is a worldwide platform and brand and it just empowers youngsters alongside their formal education; it gives them the skills, the confidence to go into the world and to increase their employability and their chances of success in the world.

    “So, it is very gratifying and very encouraging for the youngsters that no less a personality than the vice president was there to recognise their achievements and confer upon them, the awards,’’ he said.

  • Group invades Anambra Govt House, protests over monarch’s abduction

    Group invades Anambra Govt House, protests over monarch’s abduction

    The people of Ogwuaniocha community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Tuesday, stormed the Government House, Awka, to protest the alleged abduction of their traditional ruler, Igwe Oliver Nnaji.

    Nnaji was allegedly abducted by a notorious gang that wanted to control the resources of the community.

    It was gathered that the protesters carried placards with various inscriptions and marched to the governor’s office and the state judiciary headquarters in Awka.

    The placards read, “Willie Obiano, rescue Igwe Oliver Nnaji from captivity”; “Ogwuaniocha community cries out for help.”

    The Spokesperson and the President-General of the community, Chidi Eze, told journalists that the monarch was abducted from his palace on November 15 by a notorious gang.

    Eze claimed that the palace of the abducted royal father and four of his vehicles were also burnt during the incident.
    He added that the whereabouts of the monarch is still unknown 29 days after.

    He said, “We have reported the matter to all the police commands in the state. We have also written several petitions to the House of Assembly and the Governor; to date, no response to our complaints.

    “As the chief security officer of the state, we urge Obiano as a matter of urgency, to intervene and rescue our monarch and secure the lives and property of our people.

    The Secretary, Ogwuaniocha Youth Association, Franklin Chukwujioha, on his part, urged the governor to declare members of the gang wanted for the alleged kidnapping of the traditional ruler.

     

     

     

  • Northern region is bleeding, youth group declares

    Northern region is bleeding, youth group declares

     

    A coalition of Northern Youths on Friday protested against the threat of insecurity in the region.

    The protesters, under the Coalition of Concerned Northern Nigerian Groups, demanded an immediate end to the killings going on in the region.

    They also lamented the killing of over 40 bus passengers at Gidan Bawa village in Sokoto State.

    Speaking to journalists, one of the leaders of the group, Zainab Ahmed, said the northern part of Nigeria was bleeding owing to the incessant killings in the region.

    She said, “We are here to call on the Nigerian government that the North is bleeding and enough is enough. We are tired of burying our women, children, and men. Our crops are being razed by bandits.

    “We are here to tell the government to secure our lives. We bury hundreds of people on a daily basis yet there is no action, not even ‘sorry’ from our leaders. We are here because we are angry. Because we are children of Baba Buhari, we feel that he has neglected us.

    “We called on our followers to vote for Buhari in 2019 for the next level and this next level is killing us. We are dying; this is not what we voted for.”