Get Guardian on GoogleAfrican youths have been urged to build the capacity to assume political and socio-economic leadership roles while resisting attempts by politicians to use them as instruments of violence and political thuggery.
The call was made by prominent religious and policy leaders at the 23rd Foundation Day annual public and enlightenment lecture of the Dorcas Oke Hope Alive Initiative (DOHAL), held at the auditorium of Precious Cornerstone University, Campus 1, Garden of Victory, Old Ife Road, Ibadan.
Speaking on the theme, “Why African Youths Must Get Involved in Politics,” the Founder and Presiding Pastor of Livingspring Chapel International, Pastor Femi Emmanuel, said the church and society must do more to prepare young people for leadership.
He noted that young people possessed the energy, technological skills, education and opportunities required to contribute meaningfully to national development.
“The church is doing something, but we need to do more. We need to prepare the young people for leadership of tomorrow,” he said.
Emmanuel urged youths not to allow their age to discourage them from participating in politics, citing the biblical injunction that no one should despise their youth.
He also reminded political officeholders that leadership was a public trust for which they would ultimately give account to God, rather than an opportunity to pursue selfish interests.
The Founder of DOHAL and President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Archbishop Francis Wale Oke, said he was encouraged by the progress of the initiative’s youth empowerment programmes, which he said were designed to help young people become productive entrepreneurs and contributors to society.
Oke warned against the exploitation of youths by politicians for violence and other destructive activities.
“We do not want any youth to die needlessly. We do not want any youth to become a victim of any evil, to become thugs and touts and vagrants used by politicians and wicked people,” he said.
The Archbishop said the initiative was committed to helping young people become productive and contribute to national development, adding that youth empowerment remained important to building a better society.
Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion and Ambassador for Political Affairs in the African Union, Pastor Akin Akinpelu, said African youths must prepare themselves adequately to take up leadership responsibilities.
He said the event sought to promote a prosperous, integrated and powerful Africa by addressing challenges confronting young people across the continent.
Although the African child might appear disadvantaged in the global competitive environment, Akinpelu said resilience, hard work and adequate preparation could help young people overcome the obstacles.
“Nobody will hand over power to you because you are young; it’s not an emotional thing. You will rise up in capacity to take over that,” he said.
A highlight of the event was the presentation of ₦100,000 each to 14 young entrepreneurs who had demonstrated diligence in managing start-up capital given to them by the initiative the previous year.
