SAN FRANCISCO, July 09, (THEWILL) – A don, Prof. Douglas Anele, has called for more investment in job creation and education of the youth to promote socio-economic development of the country.
Anele, of the Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos, made the call on the sideline of a Mental Wellness Conference and Book Reading Presentation in Lagos themed; “Youths Staying Unbroken, Thriving in the Nigerian Economy.”
He said that it was unfortunate that successive administrations did not pay enough attention to mobilising youths for positive social transformation.
“Our politicians are busy chasing shadows, acquiring wealth they do not need, leaving the youths in most cases to fend for themselves.
“Government should invest in the youths, in education and job creation, in every aspect of what will make the youths excel; we have the money.
“When the government is ready to invest appropriately in the Nigerian youth, all these developmental problems we have been battling with will gradually fade away,” he said.
According to him, the future of Nigeria is not in crude oil, rice production or in mineral resources, but in motivating youths to unleash their creative potentials for national development.
Abdulazeez Ogungboye, Ikorodu Area Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), urged youths to stay away from drugs in view of their vulnerability.
According to the narcotic official, seven out of every 10 families in the country have a member battling with drug-related issues.
He identified ignorance, accessibility, peer pressure, experimenting and low self-esteem as causes of drug abuse, adding that continuous enlightenment and advocacy were the solutions.
The convener of the programme and author of the book ‘Unbroken’, Mr John Shaibu, said the forum would provide a safe haven for youths on mental health, skill acquisition, career support, counselling and identity definition.
“We are determined to reverse this trend whereby the society is weighed down with so many broken people who move about with needless feelings of insufficiency, self-doubt and low self-esteem.
“We should not continue to be the victim. We should take responsibility for our lives and decide to make a change and that change has to come from within.
“As long as we continue to hold others responsible for our lives, we cannot create any change,” he said.
Shaibu said his organisation would continue to support youths and SMEs with capacity building and mentoring programmes that would assist them to grow, create jobs and sustainably impact positively on their communities and the nation adding that these influenced his decision to write the book.
On her part, the Mrs Esther Dumbiri, CEO, SHTL Publishing, publishers of the book, called on youths to remain unbroken inspite of hardships they face in order to maintain mental wellness.
Sulaiman Aledeh, Publisher Aledeh.com also spoke at the event while Toyosi Sax was on hand to serenade guests with music.
