Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja
The managing partner at Greativation Limited, Dennis Agbeti has called on youth bodies in the country to seize the opportunity of the federal government’s proposed youth conference to present to the government a youth development vision policy.Agbeti stated this at a one-day youth conference titled: Activation Conference, tagged “Wake up Smell the Coffee”, held in Abuja on Tuesday.
While responding to President Bola Tinubu’s proposed 30-day national youth conference, Agbeti said, though many Nigerian youth had lost hope in their leader, the proposed youth conference by the government will be an opportunity for Nigerian youths to present government with a vision policy for the youth.
“Every opportunity we have and given opportunity, we will, make our own contribution. I don’t know much about the aim of the conference, it is a good starting point for the conversation, because leaders need to communicate with the young people.
“There is silence and when there is no communication, there will be confusion, ignorance and misinformation. If leaders can communicate, a conference is a starting point and should be encouraged.
“Unfortunately, it appears the youth have lost confidence in the leadership. But if organisations, institutions, individuals can take responsibility even before thinking about the government, it will transcend to institutions and flow to the society at large.
“So if youth bodies can come together and present certain ideas and policies to the government and trust that government can take responsibility and implement those policies, it should be encouraged,” he advised.
Speaking further on national vision, he said, “For the government, we need a clear vision, so far we don’t have a clear vision from the government for instance, where we want to be in the next ten years, there is no clear vision which is why we have e hopelessness. Leaders are meant to create vision and a sense of vision will transform a lot of things.
“In most advanced nations, their leaders take out time to create clear roadmap for the nation and that will, first set a direction and once there is vision, a lot of things starts getting activated.
“Vision creates hope, vision creates direction, it creates purpose and sense of responsibility and the government needs to start with that that will being an awakening of responsibility, government need to start creating enabling environment for young people because environment is very critical. We have a lot of Nigerians that are not doing well in Nigeria but they go outside and blossom because there is enabling environment,” he added.
On why most people don’t recognise opportunities, he said, “Opportunities come to every human, the reason people miss their opportunities is that most times opportunities don’t come like it, opportunities most times come as problems, crisis, challenges or change and people don’t like change especially when it is not comfortable.
“We need to rather think of the opportunities within those problems and until we begin to think of opportunities behind the problem, we will keep missing the opportunities. When we think of opportunities, we will add value and create wealth for ourselves and the nation.”
He said the reason why he convened the conference was a result of what he noticed that most youths have given up on the country and that it’s time to reignite hope in them. “A lot of Nigerian youths are giving up on Nigeria, it’s either they are migrating from the country “Japa” or they are going into crime, fraud, the ones that are not going into fraud are involved in rituals and the reason is because a lot of people are giving up on Nigeria, giving up on their personal dreams, giving up on the future of the country.
“And I felt that it is time for us to reignite the hope in young Nigerians, it is time for Nigerians to know that in the midst of challenges, there is a bright future and opportunities.”
The keynote speaker, Ayokunnu Oyeniyi, said, “Running abroad doesn’t matter; what matters is that same principles that are applicable wherever you want to go to are the same principles that are applicable here in Nigeria. What this conference is about is to activate their minds such that they appreciate and embrace those principles that will guarantee their success.
“Because as they say a lizard in Nigeria cannot become an alligator elsewhere. So same principles responsible for success here in Nigeria are also applicable abroad. So whether home or abroad; what is important is that live your best live and become the best version of yourself.”