Nnaya Eziyi, Umuahia
Nigerian youths have been warned against yielding themselves as tools of political violence to desperate politicians as the 2019 general election in the country is drawing nearer.
The Chairman, Bende Local Government Council, Chief Gabriel Elendu gave the warning at the youth summit/inauguration of the area’s Abia Youth Empowerment Foundation at the council headquarters, Bende.
“It is an open secret that those who will want you to do such dirty jobs will never contemplate using either their own children, wards or relatives for them,” he emphasised.
He said yeilding to such temptation for paltry and temporary rewards would amount to destroying the very strucuture they are supposed to build on as future leaders of the country.
He said, “Leadership is like a relay race where baton must change hands..The success of the team would depend largely on both individual and collective efforts of the members.
Elendu said to face the future with confidence they must acquired quality education and the neccessary skills to make them employable or self-employed to avoid being ready tool for the politicians.
Speaking on the occasion, the Director-General of the foundation, Chief Iyke Anyatonwu said it was part of the efforts of the present administration in the state to reorient and empower the youths.
He announced that the foundation had concluded plans to empower some youths in different fields in the state in December, saying 20 of them would be drawn from the area.
Similarly, the guest speaker and former Commissioner for Special Duties, Legal Matter and Due Process in the state, Barrister James Opara, urged the youths to remain focused in life.
In his address of welcome, the area Coordinator of the foundation, Barrister Kelechi Eke said the members were prepared to take their place place in the country as vanguard of its future.
Adding his voice to the occasion, the Education Secretary, Bende Local Education Authority, Elder Anya Oparaigbo said there is critical role for the authority to play to realise the dream of the foundation.
