As Nigerians especially the youths join the rest of the world to mark this year’s Saint Valentine, popularly known as Valentine’s Day today 14th February 2020, the youths have been urged to allow love take the place of hatred just as lack of love has been identified as one of the problems bedeviling the society.
Speaking in an exclusive interview Thursday evening, the Special Adviser to the Delta state governor on Youth Development, Comrade Elvis Akpobi, fondly addressed as Hon. Majority by his teeming admirers, said youth should see themselves beyond ethnic affiliations.
He noted that hatred has taken the entire space which has resulted to killing, restiveness and other anti-social vices in the society.
“As we celebrate tomorrow, I urge every youth to see themselves as mirrors of each other. When I see you, I see myself, when you are growing, it means am growing. When you are successful, it means I will be successful. We should see ourselves devoid of ethnicity and social strata”, explaining that if every young person is empowered and given access to the tools they need to become what they dreamt of, the society would be peaceful.
The strong advocate of peaceful environment, said it takes nothing to show someone love, “working with Hilary, has taught me a lot that it doesn’t hurt to show love, put smile on someone’s face and that is what tomorrow is all about. I know tomorrow a lot of persons lives will be touched as we have always done before in our own little way”.
He pointed out that the youths are mostly the vehicle used in driving the turbulence that is spread across the society ranging from crime, protest among others, “it is time for us to come together to love ourselves devoid of ethnicity. The love we are talking about today might not be for us but generations to come”.
While noting that it is God that gives power, he called on leaders to make it as a point of responsibility to add value to the young ones around them, “You work so hard to invest in your children to become successful to make their names reflective and enviable but have you thought of the environment where those your children will stay when they become very successful. Do you know how it feels that you have a child doing well abroad that cannot come back to your state just because there is insecurity and there is restiveness?
“Every privilege leader should make it as a point of duty to add value to the lives of young persons mostly the vulnerable ones. It doesn’t take much to do it. You might find out that you don’t really spend money. You are influential, with a call you have already recommended somebody”, he said.
The Special Adviser on Youth Development, who went down memory lane, said he has gone through the odds of life recall “there were times when it was so tough for me, there were times when I was in Asaba, my parents sends money to me to feed. So, I have been there, I knows how it feels. You can’t negotiate love. Once there is love among ourselves, we will grow more than where we are today. As we celebrate Valentine tomorrow, let show love among ourselves”, he insisted.
He disclosed that he would visit some orphanage homes to add value to their lives, “and I have taken a statistics of some youths. I will meet with them tomorrow; add value to their lives in my own little way. We are blessed with a governor who knows that when you empower a youth, you reduce crime. You have been given the mantle of leadership; you have to give that young leadership an enviable height within the next three years. That is what I urge every young person to do”, noting that the Not Too Young To Rule, initiative has gained ground.
He appreciated the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and his Principal Secretary, Hilary Obi Ibegbulem, for giving him the platform to showcase his leadership prowess, “I have not seen their type. There are some boss you have, you can’t even talk to them, they don’t pick calls. And it is only when they want to use they will call you but I have been privileged to have a boss that I can whisper to his ears anytime any day. He gives me a platform to learn. Working under him has broadened my perspective about life and exposed me to the wider world. Whatever he is doing today, he learnt from the governor and whatever I am doing today, I learnt from him”.
He said he would do all within his power to touch the lives of youth within the next three years that would bring out youths from their state of dejection and rejection, “we may not have it 100 percent but I will my best possible and young Deltans will feel the impact of governance”, the youth advocate and change maker added.
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