Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, has advised all tiers of government to invest in youth creativity to give them a sense of belonging and promote industry and productivity.
 
At the Grand Finale and Award Night of Life In My City Art Festival (LIMCAF) 2023, with the theme, ‘Fix It’, in Enugu, on Sunday night, the monarch stated that Nigerian youths were abundantly endowed with talents. He said the quest to make the festival all-embracing necessitated the introduction of special awards for the physically challenged.
 
The event, which got 111 entries across the country and witnessed regional art exhibitions, was sponsored by MTN Foundation and Ford Foundation. 
The traditional ruler said the youths should be supported in the areas of arts, as they were already doing well in national and international spaces, and for them to “be the best in the world.”
 
Achebe, who is also the Patron of LIMCAF, further advised Nigerian youths to be focused and keep on pursuing positive ideals.
for them to be great and make us proud.” 
 
Chairman of MTN Foundation, Dennis Okoro, explained that MTN sponsored the festival as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to support youths in the country and bring out the best in them.
 
Okoro assured that the foundation would continue to sponsor the festival, stressing: “It is good we catch them young and direct their mindsets to positive ideals and productivity.”
 
Representative of Ford Foundation, Mr. Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima, lauded LIMCAF for organising the event and “being constant and intentional in integrating female artists and People Living with Disability into the festival.” 
 
Chairman of the event, Rear Admiral Allison Madueke (rtd), said LIMCAF had done noble in providing a platform to engage over 100 youths in the country and providing a focus to their lives.

MEANWHILE, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has frowned upon the general lack of interest in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) by youths in the South East.Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Solomon Arase, had said last week  that the South East region, especially Anambra, Ebonyi, Abia and Imo states, recorded the lowest turnout in the ongoing police recruitment.
 
The PSC noted that by last Wednesday, Anambra had only 541 applicants, being the lowest, while Kaduna State was in the lead with 20,259 applicants. Ebonyi had 737 applicants, Abia 966, Imo 999 and Enugu 1,036.
 
Disturbed by the development, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, through its President-General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, appealed to the youths from the region to apply to join the police force.

Iwuanyanwu said, “I have observed with dismay the nonchalant attitude shown by the youths of the South East of Nigeria towards the ongoing recruitment exercise for General Duty Constables of the Nigeria Police Force.

“The available information shows that Kaduna State is leading in the on-line application into the Police Force with 20, 259 while Anambra State trails last with a mere 541 applications. Others include Ebonyi State with 737; Abia State, 966; Imo State, 999; and Enugu 1036.
 
“The lack of interest by Igbo youths in the police is disturbing because it is only by enlisting in the police force that one can become a senior police officer in the future,” he said, calling on the South East Governors led by Hope Uzodimma and others to use their various structures to sensitise Igbo youths to embrace the opportunity provided by the ongoing recruitment.