Prominent Igbo leader, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has condemned the increasing rate of killing, kidnapping, and unrest in the country.
He said that the perpetrators of these evils are youths who could be presidents, governors, legislators and leaders in future.
Chief Iwuanyanwu blamed the increasing rate of criminal activities in the country for the lack of proper orientation of the youths and lack of job opportunities as a result of the closure of industries and factories in the country.
The Chairman, Ohaneze Ndigbo Council of Elders made the observation while addressing the National Leadership of Inter-Faith Youth Council of Nigeria (IFYCN) on the occasion of the presentation of the 2022 Inter-Faith Youth Council of Nigeria Outstanding Peace Award as an Icon of National and Societal Development to him in his Owerri office Saturday
He said: “If the industries were operational, most of the youth would be gainfully employed and the crime rate would reduce.”
Chief Iwuanyanwu appealed to the governments both Federal and state to redirect their budgets and focus more on industrialisation and agricultural revolution.
He advised Nigerians to exhibit the spirit of brotherhood and tolerance with the fear of God.
Chief Iwuanyanwu advised the leadership of the country to eschew religious bitterness, acrimony and hate in the exhibition of their activities to the people.
He noted that the founding fathers of the country built the foundation of Nigeria on love, peace, harmony and tolerance which led to the rapid development of the nation when the colonial masters left the country.
Iwuanynwu enjoined the youth to emulate the spirit of the founding fathers of Nigeria which centred on peaceful co-existence, religious tolerance and love, pointing out that no nation or society develops in an atmosphere of suspicion and intolerance.
He recalled a verse of the old National Anthem which states that though tongue and tribe may differ, in brotherhood we stand and maintained that it was the spirit of a nation that wanted to be united.
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According to him, in the old regional system of North, East, West and later Mid West of Nigeria, anybody from any of the regions could contest election anywhere he domiciled.
He observed that the first Mayor of Enugu in those days was a Northerner while Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe contested the election in the Western part of the country and won.
He said all these happened as a result of the spirit of unity and nationality which was prevalent then.
Presenting the 2022 Inter-Faith Youth Council of Nigeria Award to Chief Iwuanyanwu, the President of the Association, Ambassador Tunde Adams said the award was in recognition of Chief Iwuanyanwu’s unalloyed commitment and unequal contribution to peace and human development as an outstanding distinguished personality in Nigeria.
Mr Tunde Adams described Chief Iwuanyanwu as a man of peace and excellence, an indisputable Nigerian flag weaver, a quintessence of a good leader who has given so much to the empowerment of the youth in Nigeria and beyond.
He said that he is a man whose didactic personality is a pedestal upon which the vision of Nigeria as a nation can be realized
The IFYCN President said that at a time when Nigerian youth are facing deprivation and relegation from the national scheme of affairs, Chief Iwuanyanwu has continued to exhibit a youth-friendly disposition, humane care to all who come to him as well as continued to display an unmatched nationalistic leadership style that has given the youth a renewed hope as leaders of tomorrow.
Mr Tinde Adams maintained that Chief Iwuanyanwu symbolizes the apt saying of late Sardauna of Sokoto Ahmadu Bello of the blessed memory in which he said that “if men of wisdom will refuse to write justice with black ink on white paper, ignorant men will lead and wrath injustice and anarchy in the land.”
He said that the role of the youth in nation-building is indeed very critical as the old saying goes “you build the youth, you built the nation, you ignore the youth you destroy the nation.”
He said: “Chief Iwuanuanwu has achieved greatly in nation-building, community development, educational development, quality assurance as well as mentorship.”
He said that Chief Iwuanyanwu’s greatest achievements anchor on human capital development which evidently manifested in the people who have successfully achieved greatness through his mentorship.
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