IMOTA STUDENT’S UNION (INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY PROGRAM WITH MR. OKE GODWIN OLAOLUWA {EXCERPTS}) ~ INN Nigeria

It’s always my pleasure addressing young minds towards becoming their own very best

Happy international youth day

The theme of international youth day 2020 is “youth engagement for global action”.

The purpose is to seek ways to actively engage the youths at local, national and global levels for enrichment of global institutions also to draw lessons on how to involve them in mainstream politics

I’ll like us to have a discussion around this topic. I’ll want opinions, suggestion of the other members at the end of my presentation

A Quick recap, Who are the youths? The UN define youths as individuals between the age bracket 19 to 24 years, while the Nigerian law define them as between the age of 15 to 29 years.

While some countries categorised the youths as those in active labour force. Between 15 and 64 years. The age bracket actually differs among countries

Basically the youths are regarded as being exuberance, agile, active, smart and intelligent.

They are regarded as the propeller that drives a nation

In Nigeria they represent more than 50% of our entire population. They are mainly regarded as the smart age.

However the youths are also the majority at the receiving end of adverse effect of ineffective government.

For example unemployment rate among the youths is about 55% and poverty rate among them is also above 50%.

Now, how can the youths be productively engaged as an agent of change to the society

I’ll highlight this in simple and clear terms.

INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY

A youth must seek to improve his/her intellectual acumen by been curious about knowledge.
A youth must continue to learn and relearn. Learn about his immediate environment, learn about successful people and learn from peers and from mentors.

A youth should make reading a hobby so as develop his intellect. Also the youth must be smart enough to apply what he/she learns to better the environment.

Also

DEVELOP YOUR POTENTIAL

Everybody has his strength and weakness. A youth must understand his/her potential early enough. Such potential should be apply to a skill set. Youths should acquire a skill and ensure that such skill geared towards solving a societal problem or need of a people

A youth must add value to the immediate environment no matter how little.

Lastly

YOUTHS MUST BE INVOLVE.

youths should be involved either as individual or a group in the issues affecting the society and must be the solution provider.

I mostly advise youths to look beyond politics as a means of survival and to also jettison any form of entitlement mentality.

Youths should not only be seen as criticizing the government on social media but demand for good governance by getting actively involve.

For the youths, politics should be seen as a vehicle for adding value to the society and not as an economic means for survival or a meal ticket.

Finally the youths should be seen as standing above board and independent in the voice of change.