Youth As Agents Of National Cohesion, Integration

DIRECTOR-GENERAL of National Orientation Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri has urged Nigerian youth to continue to work towards engendering national cohesion, integration and stability in their respective domain as part of the requirement of creating a stable nation. He further charged them to be patriotic and show a sense of commitment to the national ideal in finding enduring solutions to current challenges.With Nigeria experiencing the challenges of nation-building, Omeri also called on all to begin the arduous task of 're-addressing the role of youth in nation-building in view of their importance as the most vibrant and most productive group whose boundless energy and resourcefulness, if positively directed and harnessed, can spur the nation to an economically advanced country.'He made the call recently in Lagos at the launching of a book entitled Served: Memoir of a Youth Corps Member, written by Mr. Joe Agbro Jr. While speaking on the theme 'Re-addressing the Role of Youth in Nation-building', Omeri said the nation's youth had the enviable role of building bridges of understanding across the six geo-political zones with the yearly Youth Service scheme they attended after leaving tertiary institutions, adding that they should also guard all institutions and structures under the present democratic dispensation.While commending Agbro for writing Served', Omeri said youth should show example in ensuring peaceful co-existence, religious and political tolerance for a harmonious society, noting, 'As patriots, you have the primary role of restoring discipline to our national life, to restore our lost virtues and to inculcate the spirit of patriotism to the lives of our teeming populace.Youth are expected to take the message of doing the right thing to transform Nigeria to their respective communities and areas.'Youth should educate the entire citizenry on virtues of voluntary services to help build a nation of our dreams. You can do this through initiating projects and porgrammes that would further strengthen the bonds of brotherliness and oneness in various communities. You are fully aware of the challenges of violence and insurgents activities as a result of intolerance and wrong or negative forms of political expressions. You are to watch closely on these elements and guard against possible infiltration into your communities. You should use your vantage positions as change agents to reach out to traditional leaders and powerful interests to sink personal, sectional and ethnic interest in the overall interest of national unity'.To achieve the above, Omeri tasked youth to first make inward changes that were desirable of the age group, saying that they should at all times exhibit unalloyed loyalty, commitment and dedication to the ideals of the fatherland.
Click here to read full news..