The Chairman of the National Population Commission (NCC), Professor Adeolu Akande has urged Nigerian youths to organise themselves for the purpose of providing leadership for Nigeria instead of agonizing.
Professor Akande said the greatest opportunity to contribute to national leadership is for the youths to participate in politics and influence the leadership of the country to fast- track the nation’s national development.
Professor Akande spoke as Guest Speaker at the 53rd Convention of Junior Chambers International, Ibadan chapter at the weekend.
Akande who delivered the keynote address entitled “Nigerian Development Dilemma: The role of the youths”, explained that the youths constitute over 70 percent of Nigeria’s population and therefore constitutes a major bloc that could guarantee the development of Nigeria.
“The country will be blessed if a substantial part of her population contributes to her development. With over 70 percent of the Nigerian population as youths, the Nigerian youth are well placed to make such contribution”, he said.
Professor Akande explained that the youths constitute the biggest labor force the country has and the biggest agents of change. “The youths therefore have many channels through which they can contribute to national development”.
He singled out political participation as one of the greatest channels through which Nigerian youths can make their contribution to national development. “It is through the political process you can make the most impactful contribution to national development.
“You can achieve this through standing for election to provide political leadership, actively participate in the political parties to ensure they produce qualified and reliable persons as candidates, mobilise voters to vote for responsible people and also going out en masse on election days to vote for dependable people at the elections. We also have a civic responsibility to put our governments under watch and ensure they live up to our expectation in their performance”.
Professor Akande commended President Muhammadu Buahari for enacting the Not too Young To Run Act that expands the opportunities for Nigerian youths to participate more actively in politics, urging the youths to take advantage of the law.
“It is true that there are challenges hindering the participation of Nigerian youths in politics. However, we cannot continue to agonise. Instead, we should organise and organise to take advantage of our huge population and dynamism as youths to be part of the decision making in the country”.
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