GIVEN their central role in the society, the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) Worldwide has advocated for national development policies that are youth-oriented.
CCC General Youth Coordinator, Samuel Odeyemi, who made the call, has also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that youths are given prominence, both in the planning and implementation of some national programmes.
Odeyemi, who spoke at the 17th Annual Youth Conference of the CCC Youth Organisation, recently in Ogun State, said that the Nigerian youths, in their numerical strength, are “the all-important resources” to transform any nation, if they are properly harnessed.
In doing this, however, he said the onus is on the government to first enlighten the youths, right from the primary to tertiary institutions, on their duty in nation building and attendant government programmes.
He said while it was the norm for public officeholders to recycle themselves, the youths should also be considered for key offices, as part of their meaningful engagement.
Odeyemi said that the current social ills, like Boko Haram insurgency, could be blamed on years of youth negligence in the country. He said while developed countries are now more involved in the development of their youths from the cradle, “we in Nigeria don’t even know how many youths are leaving the primary schools, the secondary schools and the tertiary institutions, talk less of government’s plan for them.”
Odeyemi’s deputy, Gabriel Awosanya, also reasoned that where the youths have no sense of belonging, it becomes more difficult to make them loyal or dedicated to any national course.
Awosanya added that if there is relevant data that captures the number of youths in and out-of-school, it becomes more convenient to re-orient them for national patriotism.
Member of the leadership team, Olu Bankole, urged government to discharge its responsibilities in planning and providing for youths.
“By the time they are occupied they will be responsible in the society. The issue of their involvement in insurgency is as a result of negligence,” Bankole said.
On the benefits of the youth conference to participants, Ade Ojomo, who is a delegate from Ondo State, said the exposure would expand the horizon and scope of participants as well as foster unity in the nation.
The conference attracted hundreds of youths from across the federation. Participants were drawn from Kano, Sokoto, Niger, Rivers, Lagos State, Edo, Zamfara, Plateau, Edo, Niger, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Republic of Benin, among others.
