Rising-up for a United Nigeria (RUN), a rights group, has called on Nigerian youths to channel their energies into productive activities and steer clear of divisive tendencies. The appeal was made by RUN’s convener, Ambassador Solomon Adodo, during an address in Abuja to mark the 2024 International Youth Day, themed “Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.”
Adodo emphasized that Nigeria possesses the potential to stand alongside developed nations, urging the youth to collaborate with those in governance to realize their ambitions. He condemned the recent nationwide protests against hunger and bad governance, which resulted in the loss of lives and destruction of properties worth billions of naira. Adodo stressed that Nigerian youth must transition from protests to productivity, drawing inspiration from the late Singaporean leader Lee Kuan Yew, who mobilized his country’s youthful population to propel it from backwardness to a developed economy.
Commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for implementing youth-focused intervention programs, Adodo expressed RUN’s readiness to collaborate with other civil society organizations to ensure ministries, departments, and agencies engage youths in meaningful activities. He also criticized the destructive behavior during the protests and vowed that Nigeria’s youth would resist any calls for foreign intervention in the country’s affairs. Former National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) president, Ambassador Wale Ajani, also addressed the gathering, urging youths to avoid actions that could threaten Nigeria’s unity.
He highlighted the importance of regular communication and engagement to ensure a prosperous future for the nation.
Additionally, Comrade Jude Imagwe, a former senior special assistant on student affairs and youth to former President Goodluck Jonathan, noted that the recent protests were in line with global practices of holding governments accountable.
He acknowledged the challenges Nigerians face due to the removal of fuel subsidies and increased tariffs, asserting that youths cannot be blamed for expressing their grievances.
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