Youth urged to shun thuggery

No fewer than 300 youths in Kwara State have received leadership training during the Kwara Youth Summit.

The summit was convened by the winner of the national award of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Charles Bello. The aim of the summit was to sensitise the youths to the danger of drugs abuse and crime, its Coordinator, Niyi Oyetoyan said.

He added that the youths were being trained to avoid being used as thugs by politicians in the forthcoming general elections.

Oyetoyan said: “Youth should realise that they are the ones that are supposed to take the centre stage of leadership position right now. Because the generation before us has failed us. And we should stop saying that generations before us have failed us. We take our roles. We should act now. They talk is cheap. This leadership summit is for us to know our roles.

“Our convener is Charles Bello who is very passionate about leadership, for people taking up their roles and becoming who they are supposed to be. Youth out there should realise that they cannot be tools in the hands of the politicians and be used as thugs. They should not be involved in drugs and crimes. They can be very useful and influence their community and society at large.

He added: “We want to sensitise youths about their civil roles in the current democratic dispensation in the country. We discovered that a lot of youth have noth gotten it right. We have a place in leadership. In many countries of the world, for instance France, the President is a bit above 40 years. He is a youth.

“So we want the youth be aware of the potential and capacity that got has deposited in them to step up into leadership positions, take up their roles and be active in politics, in social works and in becoming better citisens of Nigeria. Most of the people we have invited for talks are not even resident in the state, but they are people that are making serious impact whereever they are.