Some Church leaders on Saturday admonished Nigerian youths to deploy their energy toward nation-building and work for God through Gospel Evangelism.
The leaders made the charge at a one-day youth sensitisation workshop held at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church Parish, Onireke Ojo, Lagos State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos reports that the event with the theme: “Youth for the Nation”, was to aid youths to refrain from election violence ahead of the 2023 General Election.
The event, organised by the church’s youth wing, is its yearly tradition to spur the youth to be involved in gospel evangelism, voluntary community development works and career prospects.
The event attracted people from other parishes within the zone as well as non Catholics.
Rev. Fr. Anthony Okeke, Parish Priest of the church, tasked the youth to be resourceful and use their youthful energy to build a nation of their dream.
Okeke frowned at the involvement of young persons in violent and organised crimes, of which has taken an alarming propensity in the society in recent times.
He urged people to desist from harmful acts against fellow beings, saying such acts tend to dehumanise humanity and cast a bad future to our collective existence as a people.
According to him, casting blames on the older generation for the misfortunes of the country is not noble rather it is expected of us to think out of the box and bring about innovative ideas capable of making an impactful difference in the society.
“Self emancipation should be our preoccupation and not rely on handouts from narrow-minded politicians who wish to use youths as tool of violence to achieve their self ends in the polity.
“As young persons, we have stake in the system.
“Therefore, it behooves us to be responsible persons devoid of being beclouded by crime and unwholesome behaviours in order to be accorded the respect and confidence required to ascend leadership throne,” he said.
Chief Stephen Nwaiku, Vice Chairman, Parish Pastoral Council, Onireke, described youth movements as organisations expected to be mobile, innovative and above board.
He urged the younger generation to infuse good character in any strata of the system they find themselves, be it in politics or in the church management, as the society looks up to them for better ideas to move the nation forward.
He added that indulging in crime and violent behaviours especially during elections exposed people to dangers capable of ending one’s life early.
Also, Mr Abdul Lawal of the Nigerian Youth Council (NYC) Ojo, Lagos chapter, a guest at the event, said that Nigerian youth are known to be enterprising.
He called on the nation’s leaders to always put the youth in the picture during policy formulations for fresh ideas.
The leader charged the youth to embark on social works in their communities in order to be impactful.
He said that such voluntary works would portray them in good light and make them responsible people, capable of handling bigger tasks in the society.
NAN reports that resource persons engaged participants in leadership training and grants proposal writing for business establishment.