‘Youths must exhibit value-oriented qualities for leadership positions’

FOR the youths in the country to be properly recognized in the scheme of things in Nigeria and get considered for leadership roles, they must exhibit qualities and values capable of showing their readiness for higher responsibilities, a former Secretary to the Osun State Government (SSG), Mr Kazeem Adio has said.

Making this submission during an interview with journalists in Ilorin, Adio contended that the youths have a greater role to play in making their considerations for higher responsibilities a fait accompli for the older generations by taking steps towards convincing them that they are indeed not only ready to get things done but also capable of doing it better.

He maintained that the younger generations, rather than simply demanding for rights to leadership positions should through “their conducts, actions and inactions be courteous and responsible thereby making it enticing and alluring for the older generations to beckon to them and get considered for leadership positions”.

According to Adio,  ‘I think the youths should change the strategy and the idea of saying ‘you demand for this and that’, we should promote talks about making ourselves exemplary in characters and deeds. The issue of demanding for roles will not be relevant as the older generations will voluntarily have such class of young chaps invited and readily welcomed to take up leadership positions”.

“The African proverb that a young man who washes his hands clean will dine with the elders is relevant here’ he said. The clamour for recognition and mentorship for the youth has enjoyed global attention as the important stakeholders have continued to buy into the idea”, he remarked.

While commenting on the incessant herdsmen/farmers’ clashes in the country, Adio warned against food crisis which he said is imminent and seemingly unavoidable, stressing that “it has the potentials of not only hindering  the country from achieving the set agricultural goals but also poses great danger to the achievements recorded in the awareness efforts of encouraging the youths back to farm”.

He stated, “as a UNDP trained Agribusiness Supplier Development Consultant active within the agricultural sector, and also a farmer, I can see that it is becoming clear that the nation may face a serious food crisis resultant from the seeming unending herdsmen/farmers’ clashes”.

“Sadly, the worst-hit states are the food baskets of the nation, it is becoming unsafe for the people to stay in the farm located far from the town and unless you are a peasant farmer, you cannot have your farm at the locations that are near residential areas. It is a sad development that the successes recorded in the awareness efforts in getting the youths back to the farm has gotten eroded and unfortunately those who were even involved in farming activities before the sensitization efforts are also leaving the farm in droves”, Adio lamented.

He advised the federal government to consider effecting effective changes in its policies where necessary by embarking on wide consultations and assemble the nation’s best brains to look into the herdsmen/farmers’ clashes and the challenges facing the country with the aim of proffering solution to the problems.