By Ifeoma Ejiofor
The Center For Strategic Leadership and Youth Orientation (CENSTLEYO) on Saturday made case for comprehensive investment in the youths across the country.
This call was made by the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CENSTLEYO Mr Imah Felix Emeka in his keynote address during the 3rd edition of the Benue State Chapter’s youth learning program.
The theme of the one day workshop which was held at Smile View Hotel Nyiman area of Markurdi was “Let’s invest in youths; our world will be better” .
He said that it is very crucial for the critical stakeholders to start thinking about youth development for a new Benue to emerge.
Mr Imah said that all the forward looking nations of the world are creating space for the youths to use their brains and energy for the development of their countries but noted with deep concern that reverse is the case in Nigeria.
The Founder/CEO of CENSTLEYO said that his group is passionately committed to giving the youths across the country platform to demand for operational space since it has become obvious that the political and religious leaders are not willing to let go.
Earlier in his welcome address, the CENSTLEYO’s Coordinator for Benue State, Mr Okpe John Mathias said that the financial freedom and political emancipation desired by the youths can be achieved by keying into the group’s vision and platforms.
Mr Mathias noted that the youths in Benue State have shared difficulties and challenges being compounded by some unscrupulous political leaders.
He advocated unity among the youths so as to present a common front in the battle in the struggle to make youths critical stakeholders in the state and in the process begin to actualize their God given responsibility of being leaders of today and not just tommorow.
An erudite scholar, Comrade Uche Madubuko, Program Technical Lead for CENSTLEYO during the workshop presented papers on Achieving youth investment through trainings, Learning best ways to activate youth investment at the grassroots, Optimising youth development in Benue State and Open dialogue in healthy partnership for youth investment.
Comrade Madubuko also reunveiled the objective of CENSTLEYO during his presentation.
Mr Michael Adikwu, a member of CENSTLEYO’s board of directors who joined the meeting from Nairobi Kenya via zoom encouraged participants to put in their best efforts possible into the struggle.
Mr Adikwu also stressed the need for networking as a way out of the many identified challenges.
A participant, Mr Tiv Kunda Godwin who is also the Makurdi local government area coordinator for CENSTLEYO identified the peculiar problem of Benue youths as tradition and culture of a zero investment focus.
He said that the youths are used to a culture devoid of any iota of agendum for them. “What I meant by this is that a typical Benue youth can hardly embrace anything no matter how beautiful once there is no guarantee of immediate financial gratification.” Mr Tiv Kunda Godwin explained.
The Makurdi local government area coordinator of CENSTLEYO however optimised that with the intervention of the group, a new day would dawn for the youths of Benue State known as the ‘Food basket of the nation’
Over one hundred participants took part in the one day workshop.