Group moves to empower youths for better Nigeria
A group under the auspices of Citizens Common has disclosed plans to deploy a digital knowledge exchange platform that will mobilise and empower young Nigerians with free resources and training to become active citizens and social change leaders.
Executive Director of Citizen Commons, Olalekan Oshunkoya disclosed this yesterday during a youth conversation for a new Nigeria in Abuja.
He said, for the country to achieve lasting change, it must invest intentionally in capacity development that develops new leaders through collective action.
According to Oshunkoya, the project seeks to leverage the increased passion of young Nigerians to demand accountability from all levels of government.
He added that the project is also seeking to ensure that #EndSARS protests do not go by the way of previous citizens’ actions, assuring the groups’ commitment to ensuring adequate protection and safety for youth leaders who speak out amid government crackdown and anti-citizen actions.
He said: “In a renewed effort to build on some of the lessons from the #EndSARS protests, Citizens Common International recently launched a partnership with Voice of Nigeria (VON) to activate new opportunities for young Nigerians that are looking to amplify their voices, access new resources and capabilities that aid their resolve to be change agents and galvanise citizens into the pursuit for a new Nigeria.”
The director explained that the project would identify, train and engage 20 high potential youth leaders, who emerged from the protests and other networks.
He maintained that the programme would empower them with key skills, access to mentorship and networks. Others, he said, would include exposure to institutions and resources that can strengthen their work as change champions.
“We will organise youth conversations for new Nigeria, a series of national debates and town hall consultations designed to create awareness and highlight policy issues of importance to young Nigerians from communities to campuses. The result of these consultations will be published and used as advocacy material to engage policymakers, state actors and stakeholders,” he added.
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