Over 600 youths from across Nigeria have been challenged to make responsible life choices, build strong character and resist the temptation of immediate gains that could jeopardise their future.

The charge was given at the Annual Emerging Leaders Conference organised by the Fasttrack Development Initiative (FDI) in Port Harcourt on Saturday, with the theme, “Choices, Character and the Future.”

Executive Director of FDI, Engr. Justus Ngerebara, who spoke through his Executive Secretary, Dr. Ineme-Awaji Okitumu John, said the conference was designed to redirect the mindset of young people and restore their confidence in the future.

Ngerebara expressed concern that many young Nigerians were losing focus and becoming increasingly doubtful about their prospects, stressing that proper guidance and character development were necessary to help them realise their potential.

He said the initiative was aimed at challenging the growing perception among young people that adulthood offered little hope or opportunity.

“Our vision is actually to re-engineer the minds of the youth, their thought process, and to force them to achieve greater future endeavour in their life,” he said.

According to him, the decisions young people make today, alongside the character they develop, will determine their opportunities and achievements in the years ahead.

He urged participants to dream big, believe in themselves and pursue their aspirations through legitimate means, assuring them that a better future remained possible despite present challenges.

Speaking on the theme, Ngerebara said improving one’s character and attitude could lead to better decisions and ultimately create a more promising future.

In his lecture on making the right choices, chartered conciliator and former National Deputy President of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, Dr. Ken-Fashola Ayibaemi, warned the youths that decisions made for immediate benefits could produce consequences that might be difficult or impossible to reverse.

He said the quality of an individual’s future depended largely on the decisions taken in the present, urging the participants to consider the long-term implications of their actions rather than being carried away by temporary gains.

“What is right is right, what is wrong is wrong, in spite of the immediate benefits,” Ayibaemi stated.

He commended FDI for investing in youth development but called on governments and other organisations to create an enabling environment where young people could develop their abilities and translate their ambitions into reality.

Ayibaemi argued that effective leadership, empowerment and access to opportunities would encourage responsible conduct and help young people contribute meaningfully to society.

“Government should take responsibility, government is a creator, government should take responsibility for its duties, create environments, empower people, create atmospheres, create opportunities, even if it’s not directly to the youths,” he said.

He added that when governments created the right conditions for development, responsible individuals and organisations would emerge to support and encourage young people.

The conference attracted more than 600 youths from across the country, with Emeka Nobis and Pastor Jackson Adebisi also featuring as speakers.