By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
A group, Oneadult Oneyouth Advocacy has vowed to carry the message of ensuring youth are carried along in governing of Nigeria round the 9,572 wards in Nigeria, until their message is heard.
President of the group and Convener of the OneAdult OneYouth Avocacy, Ene Lilian Oguche expressed this while speaking at the unveiling of the OneAdultOneYouth Initiative at the historical Arewa House in Kaduna on Monday.
“In loud and clear terms and voices, we will go round the 36 states of Nigeria, FCT inclusive, we tirelessly move round the 774 local government areas of Nigeria to sensitize our youth on the urgent need for OneAdultOneYouth combination in all and the 9572 council wards of leadership henceforth.
“We will move from street to street, from neighbour to neighbour and from house to house in Nigeria to mobilize and sensitize across board on the imperatives of OneAdultOneYauth combination.
“One tells ten, ten tell a hundred and a hundred persons tell a million people and above that OneAdultOneYouth combination from the presidency to the council wards level has come to stay, no going back on that initiative,” she said.
She said that the essence of the initiative by the group is to relentlessly demand for and in a very
modest but emphatic manner insist on youth involvement, inclusion and participation in leadership, policy, decision making and execution and very importantly also, to solicit by ways of consultation and dialogue, the total overhauling and capacity building in various fields of endeavour for millions of Nigerian youths who are gradually losing their confidence, self-esteem and sense of belonging in the political space.
modest but emphatic manner insist on youth involvement, inclusion and participation in leadership, policy, decision making and execution and very importantly also, to solicit by ways of consultation and dialogue, the total overhauling and capacity building in various fields of endeavour for millions of Nigerian youths who are gradually losing their confidence, self-esteem and sense of belonging in the political space.
Speaking further, she said that Nigerian youths are the best brains globally making unprecedented exploits in their various field of endeavor.
“The Nigerian youths that we know are pragmatic, dynamic, energetic. focused, and visionary and will stand for the truth not minding whose ox is gored.
“The Nigerian youth that we know are detribalized, unbiased, patriotic and determined to bring to an everlasting end the obnoxious reign of nepotism, impunity, injustice dishonesty, despotism, primitive capital accumulation and senseless aggrandizement of our collective wealth while bridging the sharp dichotomy that presently exist between the have and the have not by ways policy making and execution.
“Going down the lane of our political history, it is on record that the heroes that fought selflessly and vigorously to achieve the independence that we are all enjoying today were all youths when they started the historic and all achieving struggle, it might interest all of us to know that the oldest president during the time in question was 42yrs old even though he started the struggle for the independence far earlier than that the age: that was Dr. Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe of blessed memory, popularly known as Zik of Africa.
“Anthony Enahoro who first moved the motion for the need to lower the British Union Jack and hoist the Green-White-Green flag in its place was about 23-yrs of age when he moved the motion.
“The likes of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa of blessed memory, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sadauna of Sokoto, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Herbert Samuel Badamus Macaulay were all heroes of our present day independence,” she pointed out.
Ogbole emphasized that they all started and completed the historic
nationalistic struggle for the liberation of the Nigerian people in their youthful ages.
nationalistic struggle for the liberation of the Nigerian people in their youthful ages.
“They did commendably well in the relentless pursuit to halt external intrusion and intimidation otherwise known as colonialism.
“To bring the history closer to our times and
age, the likes cf Aguiyi-Ironsi, General Yakubu Gowon, General Murtala Ramat
Mohammed, General Olusegun Obasanjo, General ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, General Mohammadu Buhari and their lieutenants seized and consolidated the state powers as Commanders-in-Chief and President before they clocked 30 years of age,” she stressed.
age, the likes cf Aguiyi-Ironsi, General Yakubu Gowon, General Murtala Ramat
Mohammed, General Olusegun Obasanjo, General ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, General Mohammadu Buhari and their lieutenants seized and consolidated the state powers as Commanders-in-Chief and President before they clocked 30 years of age,” she stressed.
She said she was optimistic that Nigerian youths still have vision and are looking forward to seeing a country where all citizens young and old are informed about and are directly or indirectly involved and engaged in issues that affect them.
“A place where old and young people are together at the round table, debating
grappling with problems, crafting solutions and jointly deciding on how resources should be evenly distributed and allocated.
grappling with problems, crafting solutions and jointly deciding on how resources should be evenly distributed and allocated.
“A robust democracy where all people including youth and women exercise their right to select those who speak and act on their behalf and hold them accountable.
“A society where young people have an equal opportunity to have a sustainable livelihood. Imagine adults and young people working together to build
a thriving society with our enormous natural deposits, trom ground up, contributing to nation building and national development from the community level up to the national.
a thriving society with our enormous natural deposits, trom ground up, contributing to nation building and national development from the community level up to the national.
“Youths are nation builders through political participation. All of these information will
disseminate to all our youths in all the nook and crannies of our society,” she added.
disseminate to all our youths in all the nook and crannies of our society,” she added.
The President assured that alongside her team, My team, they are working to take the OneAdultOneYouth philosophy beyond the shores of Africa to America, the Great Britain and Europe in general, Asia and to the world at large.
“Patriots, this is a clarion call, Nigeria and Nigerians are calling and we father land with love, strength, faith and the
will Let us arise must obey.
will Let us arise must obey.
“We have promised to serve with our last drop of our blood. Never again will the labour of our heroes past be in vain. We ensure that our nation is bound in freedom, peace, unity, fairness and equity; these are our pledges and we must live up to expectation.
“Highly distinguished audience, this is no
brilliant speech but a sober reflection as we individually and collectively take deep breaths in our privacy and craft lasting solution that will move Nigeria forward in positive direction.
brilliant speech but a sober reflection as we individually and collectively take deep breaths in our privacy and craft lasting solution that will move Nigeria forward in positive direction.
“The is no time for sweet oratories, sermons and speeches that will litter the front pages of our national dailies, it is a time for sober reflection distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it is crystal clear that the task ahead of us are not only tremendous but intimidating, bearing in mind the enormous mental, physical and financial requirements needed to achieve these goals.
“It is therefore, our considered opinion that the support of all Nigerians by ways of prayers and active participation is sacrosanct, if we must achieve the goals that we have set out to achieve,” she emphasized.
