National youth talent hunt comes on stream

In a bid to complement government in the area of peace and youth development, the Centre for Development and Empowerment, CEDECOM-Nigeria, has initiated the National Youth Talent Hunt for Peace & Security, which has got the endorsement of the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development.

CEDECOM, an Abuja based non Governmental Organisation has also secured the technical partnership of O’jez Entertainment Limited to drive the initiative that was flagged off last week with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU by the parties.

Founder of CEDECOM, Mr. Prosper Okafor said, “the level and dimension of security concerns and challenges confronting our peace as a nation is unheard of in over 50 years of our independence. The youths have been identified as the key actors as a result of their enormous strength, ability to dare anything, high risk behaviors, willing tools in the hands of the enemies of our fatherland, to mention a few. To achieve a reversal, the youths must also be at the forefront; hence the birth of this project idea tagged National Youth Talent Hunt for Peace & Security. The project is therefore conceived to seek a reversal to the growing trend of insecurity in Nigeria with special focus on youths in a competitive manner. As we know, the youths like engaging in competitions.”

The anchor of ‘’Okada Mata’’, a weekly live magazine program on Crowder Radio Love 104.5 FM, Abuja and initiator of Federal Capital Territory Enhanced Security, Crime & Accident Prevention Program (a.k.a. FCT ESCAP Program) with special focus on Okada riders, revealed why CEDECOM decided to take up the challenge.

“Focused NGOs like CEDECOM-Nigeria, are known for complementing and supporting the efforts of governments, state and non-state actors in numerous ways. The primary objective of CEDECOM-Nigeria, which I, Engineer Prosper Okafor founded, is to contribute to our nation building, just as we have been doing since inception. The National Youth Talent Hunt for Peace & Security is one of the initiatives of CEDECOM-Nigeria.”
 
And what does CEDECOM-Nigeria and partners hope to achieve with the National Youth Talent Hunt for Peace & Security? “Peace is what we are looking at. Where there is Peace, there is unity and progress. We shall succeed in engaging millions of Nigerian youths to shun hostility, wanton killings, communal and religious crises, and other related vices dragging us backward.

The project shall enlist our teaming youths to become Peace Ambassadors, Peace Preachers, Peace Speakers, Peace Evangelists, hence leading to enhanced security across the federation. The National Youth Talent Hunt for Peace & Security is also aimed at creating opportunity for talented youths to showcase their skills and abilities, actualize their dreams, and become self reliant in various sectors of the Nigeria economy.”

The Okada Professor, as he fondly called, spoke on the reported endorsement the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development. “The federal government’s endorsement of the project through her Youth and Sports Development Ministry is a clear signal that the current administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCON, is focused and determined to ensure lasting peace and enhanced security across Nigeria. It is also a pointer that the government recognises the ability of serious minded NGOs like CEDECOM-Nigeria to contribute their quota in our national development.”
 
On CEDECOM’s relationship with O’jez Entertainment, Mr. Okafor said: “There is a popular saying that ‘Two Good Heads are better than one.’ CEDECOM-Nigeria and O’jez Entertainments are two great partners driving together the National Youth Talent Hunt for Peace & Security. CEDECOM-Nigeria is a known focused NGO reaching and touching lives in numerous positive ways across Nigeria. O’jez is an entertainment outfit and a major stakeholder in the hospitality industry engaged in the promotion of youth talents through music production, sports, mentoring and sponsorship,” he said.