Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Bola Tinubu, has been urged to make youth inclusion and development parts of the sub-regional body’s agenda.
This is just as ECOWAS, under Tinubu, was commended for making commitments towards ending coups and maintaining peace and security in West Africa, especially in the francophone countries.
The advice was given by the President of the ECOWAS Youth Council (EYC), Oluwaseun William, in Abeokuta, Ogun State during the investiture of Chief Executive Officer of Pelican Valley Nigeria Ltd, Dr Babatunde Adeyemo as ECOWAS Youth Ambassador.
The EYC president said the development and inclusion of youths, if pursued effectively, would ensure stability, peace and unity in members’ countries, adding that the place of youth in a society, nation-building and peace in the West African subregion cannot be overemphasised.
He added that going forward, the body is going to help the youth participate in politics, economic development, regional integration and education as part of measures to push the youth up the ladder of leadership and into decision-making positions.
Williams said: “We want to see the agenda of Mr Chairman as regards youth inclusion. This is an area where we would be able to engage the ECOWAS chairman and the commission on how they want to be decisive in ensuring the growth of young people in West Africa.
In his acceptance speech, Adeyemo, who also bagged the EYC’s Nelson Mandela Leadership for Excellence and Integrity Award, emphasized the need to harness the potential of Nigerian youths.
This, he said, was why his firm relies on a 100% youth workforce, launched several youths entrepreneurial development and self-reliance campaigns to secondary schools in the country, in a bid to catch them young and awaken their sleeping entrepreneurial skills for future exploits.
“An average Nigerian youth has had his/her future stolen and looted, hence the need for our new government to make drastic efforts to reconcile the huge margin between the young and the old Nigerians in governance.
“The aborted EndSARS protest in Lagos is a very strong expression of grievances by the Nigerian youths that should not be overlooked by any serious nation or government. Yes, Nigeria’s numerous economic challenges cannot be corrected overnight but an average Nigerian youth needs to start to have a sense of belonging from the appointments of the president. Only the youth can guarantee an effective and efficient delivery of the Nigerian future.
“Research has it that the current life expectancy for Nigeria in 2023 is 55.75 years. When you compare this with the ages of our leaders, we will all agree that the nation needs a drastic injection of decent youths in governance.
“These youths, if properly selected, can always be used as frontline or veritable agents of bargaining powers for government, whenever revolt raises its head and also to guarantee quality and energy-filled governance,” Adeyemo said.
The event was attended by renowned neurosurgeon, Dr Olusola Talabi; Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Bureau of Politics and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr Kehinde Onasanya, former federal lawmaker, Hon Adekunle Adeyemi and Bobawoga of Itesi Orile Kingdom, Chief Olawale Olaleye among others.
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