Youths Within ECOWAS Asked to Take Active Role in Governance
Youths within the ECOWAS sub-region have been charged to make sure that they take an active role in the governance of West African sub-region in order to win over leadership from old Africans after they might all gone.
This advice came from the President and Founder of the African Initiative for Transparency, Accountability and Responsible Leadership (AfriTAL), Dr Louis Brown Ogbeifun at an award ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria.
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Live, Study and Work in Canada. No Payment is Required! Hurry Now click here to Apply >> Immigrate to CanadaAs reported by Vanguard, Ogdeifun said that the youths will “fight and win the ‘war’ against localized imperialist Lords who are bent on not giving the youth the needed opportunity to attain leadership positions in Africa.”
Dr Ogbeifun was actually honoured with an award as “Icon of Integrity and Transparency” by the ECOWAS Youth Council, nevertheless, he has said that, “ECOWAS youths must learn the rudiments of integrity, transparency and good governance to be abreast with the present realities.” I know that there are challenges as you struggle against localized imperialist Lords but with determination, you shall surely conquer”, he said.
He acknowledged the efforts of the leadership of the ECOWAS Youth Council in their campaign against drug trafficking, abuse, and cultism. He said that their input so far has resulted in the enactment of stiff legislations across many African countries for the purpose of checking the menace.
According to Vangaurd report, a recent United Nations projection, that is, more than half of the world’s population growth by 2050 will be in Africa. The report, however, noted that a lot depends on whether African governments will act now in order to improve education and as well, tap into the vast potential of this generation.
“With every new baby, there is the potential for another Einstein, Edison, Newton or Da Vinci, if that baby is nurtured in the right way. African innovators would be well-placed to solve uniquely African problems,” it said.
On youth employment, it said that mismanagement and misgovernance are huge issues for much of Africa at the moment, and many believe education needs to be better linked with private sector skill requirements so that they the youth can be employed and drive productivity, and new business, and entrepreneurship as well, as innovation.
Earlier, the president of the ECOWAS Youth Council, Mr. Daniel Emeka Nwachukwu, who was accompanied by his council members had extolled Ogbeifun for his roles in community development, capacity building, youth empowerment and mentoring, and pan-Africanism ideology. He stressed that it was in recognition of these sterling qualities that necessitated the Thomas Sankara Award for Excellence and Integrity.
Nwachukwu further stated this: “the consistent inconsistencies in the education and technology roadmap of Africa must give way for more pragmatic efforts as being exemplified by Dr Ogbeifun at AfriTAL, adding that Africa must produce more young people armed with today’s technologies and knowledge than producing more religious houses”.
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Live, Study and Work in Canada. No Payment is Required! Hurry Now click here to Apply >> Immigrate to CanadaHighlights of the one-hour event were the presentation of the Plaque, Medal and Certificate to Dr. Louis Brown Ogbeifun from the Ecowas Youth Council, and the event was a platform to provide an opportunity for AfriTAL so as to engage the ECOWAS Youth Council in a mentoring session.
Further light was also shed on the burning issues that bother on the role of youths in developing nations, job creation, and conflict resolution as well as the roles of youths in strengthening democratic structures in Africa.
Dignitaries present at the occasion were: the President of the Pan African Lawyers’ Union, Chief Emeka Obegolu, who also doubles as President of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC), Registrar of the Institute of Mediators and Conciliators of Nigeria, Engr. Segun Ogunyannwo, and Engr Adaji Usman, who is the State Coordinator of Special Marshal in the FCT, and who doubles as the Public Relation Officer of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Federal Capital Territory.