“In our quest for youth engagement for global action, we are advocating for increased youth participation in key areas of industry, leadership, value reorientation, and agriculture, as it relates to nation building.”

YMA/JTA

International Youth Day has been celebrated all over the world for over a decade now, and, with every passing day, new challenges rear their heads. Confronted with a huge population of people within the 10 – 25 age demography, our world need must make space for them to express their innate aspirations. First, where are these people? What are they doing?

Honest answers to these questions will reveal between countries, a gaping divide in the hopes of the future generation. A simple survey carried out by Rise Empowerment in February, this year, reveals that 62 percent of people within the aforementioned age-range in Nigeria are desperate for opportunities that will enable them flee the country.

For many, the reason is not far-fetched. Nigeria, they say, has nothing to offer; it only takes and takes brutally, not just hard-earned material possessions, but lives, too. This craze for migration has, in many ways, strengthened the human trafficking industry, and the constant brain drain the country experiences.

Almost every day, we hear news of how Nigerians in other countries are excelling in their careers, and we take pride in the fact that they represent us well. However, would they have succeeded if they had remained here in Nigeria? less than 60 days ago, the House of Representatives was considering a bill to ban the outflow of doctors seeking better working conditions in other countries. Isn’t this a clear case of killing the patient to solve the ache?

Date: 12th August 2021
Time: 10 am

The worrisome state of governance in Nigeria today is a testament to the fact that despite having a mind-blowing population of youths, their energies and abilities will have little, or no, productive impact on the development of the country, but on the contrary, constitute an economic nuisance and a ready army for bandits and other criminal elements.

Formed on the 17th of December 1999, and celebrated on the 12th day of August annually, the International Youth Day was created to recognize the efforts of youths all over the world in contributing towards the development of their immediate communities, and by extension, the enhancement of global society. This goes to say that youths need not travel long distances away from their homes and across the world before they can contribute meaningfully to society and achieve the desired recognition and reward for their efforts at self and community development.  To this end, Youngman Africa, in partnership with Jos Town Ambassadors, through the celebration of the 2021 international youth day, are rolling out a mentorship program for youths in Jos, with focus on their entire wellbeing and, by extension, on their families and communities. This wellbeing exists in education, health, career, food, and all other sectors geared towards improving the quality of life for all. Founded in the year 2020, Youngman Africa has been engaged in charting out better living conditions for communities across Africa.

As a non-governmental organization inspired by the United Nation’s quest for providing opportunities for all peoples, especially the younger generation to make meaningful contributions in policy making and international development strategies, using homegrown resources, Youngman Africa and its partners are committed to providing excellence and value to needy communities.

Youngman Africa’s slogan, INNOVATE, INFORM, ASPIRE is directed at equipping people with opportunities at creative enterprise; providing information and educational resources for enlightenment, and propelling them towards achieving self-development and communal betterment; all in the hope that more people will be meaningfully engaged towards building nations, and, by extension, a world of mutual respect, compassion, and shared achievement.