Sir: As part of restructuring Nigeria project, all Nigerian youths constituting about 70 per cent of the population are discouraged from all forms of crime and attacks on our work force especially security personnel and public properties. As a people, we must all be ready to imbibe value reorientation – which will help create more opportunities and ways of doing and changing things.
This call is very necessary at this time because we must acknowledge the consequences and dangers of unholy acts of cultism, killings, kidnapping, insurgency, corruption and many others which are enormous and also constitute heavy burden on better future and the great potentials of youths. Until all Nigerians (both leaders and followers) decide to stamp out discrimination, tribalism and nepotism irrespective of our family backgrounds, ethnic, political, cultural, religious and socioeconomic affiliations without sentiments to promote rapid growth, we will continue wallowing and repeating the same mistakes that should have been outgrown especially in combating crimes and other antisocial vices
Restructuring Nigeria entails putting structures, measures and plans in place like autonomy for the local governments alongside the formulation of good government policies and decision making. Consequently, the Nigeria (especially the Southeast) we are destroying today will affect and hurt us very greatly in future. Let the youth look inwards for new programmes, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovations, technical and vocational education; beyond banditry, arms-bearing, kidnapping, internet/advance fee fraud, terrorism, armed robbery and other anti-social vices as there are so many opportunities especially in Internet such as networking, marketing, blogging, software development, website, social media marketing, computer hardware and programming cyber security, CCTV installation, agriculture, to mention but a few and many others to be explored. Youths need to take advantage of other unique opportunities around them to also acquire and improve their skills and thus compete favourably in the global market place.
We have to see Nigeria as our cherished inheritance. If our leaders have not done well, then it is our responsibility to take up the challenge to enable us succeed. Let’s not destroy our cherished inheritance, Nigeria anymore. Let also promote “unity” with our ‘strength’ with “faith” to ensure “peace” and “progress” as words boldly embossed on our country’s coat of arms and phrases that make up our national anthem and pledge our ‘might’ to build and secure a youthful, resourceful and new Nigeria.
Youths are most affected by the different forms of violence that are plaguing us as a people. Youths who are still bearing arms should use avenues provided by the government to submit their arms and repent. Many of the existing policies and initiatives oriented towards empowering the youth still lack solid evidence-based approach. More evidence-based empowerment programmes need to be introduced to the existing ones to better the lot of the youth.
Finally, the will to approach the problem vehemently and proffer more efficient programmes that will meaningfully engage the Nigerian Youth cannot be overemphasized.
Kenneth Agwasim.
