A Communiqué Issued at the end of the 2016 Keffi Youth Leadership Conference of Beyond Boundaries Legacy Leadership Initiative (BBLLI) held at Sir Ahmadu Bello Conference Hall, New Keffi Hotel, Keffi on 25th August, 2016.
Preamble
The 2016 Keffi Youth Leadership Conference was declared open by the Special Guest of honour, His Excellency Hon. Silas Ali Agara (Deputy Governor, Nassarawa State) ably represented by the Special Adviser on Youth and Students’ Matters, Hon. Akala Samuel Gajere, Rommy Mom, President, Lawyers Alert (Conference Chariman), the Emir of keffi, Alh. Dr. Shehu Usman Chindo Yamusa III (Royal Father of the day) represented by Salanken keffi, Comrade Omaga Elachi Daniel, Executive Director, Beyond Boundaries Legacy Leadership Initiative, Rt. Hon Ayodele John Obe, Speaker Nigerian Youth Parliament, Hon. Chris Nonye Obianwa Member representing Imo West Senatorial district, Nigerian Youth parliament, Benjamin Ubiri (National Coordinator, Youth for Youth Dialogue), Ariyo-Dare Atoye Convener, Coalition in defence of Nigeria democracy and Constitution), Ms Akila Esther Katampe (Federal University Lafiya), Ambassador Onoja (President Next Generation Youth Initiative International NEGYII), Mrs Jane I Agbo (Executive Director ICADEF Makurdi), Ms Felicia oni (MD/CEO, Treasure Seeds Concepts Nigeria Ltd Abuja), Abdullahi Mohammed Ph.D (Nassarawa State University keffi), Okpe Joseph Okpe “Ph.D” (Faculty of Education, Nassarawa State University keffi), Barr Shuaibu Mohammed (Executive Secretary, Keffi Local Government Council) , Hon. Mohammad Yakubu Diko (Chairman keffi Local Government Council), Hon Joseph Maiwada (Deputy Chairman Keffi), Hon Hamisu Audu (Supervisory Councilor, Education, Keffi Local Government), Queen Onyeche Angela Paul (Queen of Middle Belt Nigeria).
The keynote address was delivered by Rommy Mom, President, Lawyers Alert, who spoke extensively on the theme: “RAYA MATASA: RAYA KASA (Build the Youths: Build the nation)”.
The day long programme was attended by more than four hundred participating youths within and outside Keffi extensively on a wide range of issues affecting students, youths, Community Based Organizations and the Nigerian nation as a whole.
Papers Presented are:
Youth Leadership and Community Development
Towards achieving the sustainable Development Goals: The Role of the Youth
Corruption: Causes, Effects and the way forward for Nigeria
DEBATE COMPETITION
Topic: Corruption in Nigeria: Who is to blame-our leaders or the followers?
The following observations and recommendations were made:
Observations:
That the youths had not been in tune with the full content of the SDGs making it harder to comprehend and achieve the goals as stated in the document.
That the youths have become restive, incapacitated, undisciplined as the vanguards of the society in achieving the goals of the nation.
That the youths have found respite in the social media by unholy representation which has crippled their productive ideas and capacity to nothing.
That the flagrant breach of peace in whatever guise and the creation of unnecessary hardship to the public is totally unacceptable as it is against the goals of SDGs.
That the lackadaisical attitude of the youth towards acquisition of knowledge is tantamount to mortgaging the future of the nation.
That there is the continuous erosion of moral values among the youth in the country through the inappropriate use of the social media. This is saddening and destructive to the youth force.
Leadership and role modeling are gradually eroding in the Nigerian society and the Nigerian leaders have not lived up to expectations.
A large proportion of youth in the country lacked requisite skills and the entrepreneurial ability that are necessary to eradicate poverty in the society.
The continuing mockery of the youths in all stratas with slogans of “Leaders of tomorrow” is not only a misplaced statement but unfair to the youth race of any nation.
That the situation of the youths in the country is the youth themselves considering the challenges surrounding their wellbeing as citizens.
Recommendations:
The youth should be dynamic and move with time by appropriately using the social media for the propagation of creative ideas and explore the pool of resources presented by the internet than engaging in unproductive and immoral use of the net.
Government should face the current harsh economic realities in the country and diversify the economy to create more employment opportunities especially to the teeming youth that constitute the bulk of the population.
That President Muhammadu Buhari should be supported in his fight against corruption and those found involved in the looting of the public treasury should be prosecuted.
That youths as a must, should participate in the political processes which has to do with electioneering, selection process and guiding votes when casted so as to assume
Leaders should assume their roles as models in the society. The leaders of community based organizations, Civil society organizations, associations, groups, trade men and women, youth vanguards at all levels should lead by example to their respective followers
The Federal Government should put in place concrete mechanisms that will ensure effective implementation of the 2016 budget, especially as it relates to education and youth empowerment.
Youths must partake in community development for the society which is a catalyst for assumption of office as potential leaders.
Henceforth, the youth should never be addressed with the slogan of leading tomorrow but that of today.
The FG, State, LGA’s and development partners should provide skill acquisition and empowerment programmes for the teeming youth if they must be captured in the achievement of the SDGs and avoidance of youth restiveness leading to crimes and social vices.
The legislators must pass bills that will strengthen anti-corruption agencies in the country if corruption must be tamed.
