.

By Olasunaknmi Akoni

Federal Government has been urged to reset its priorities by investing in the youths through active engagements in the political firmament in the developmental project of Nigeria.

The President of the Carrington Youth Fellowship Association of Nigeria(CYFAN), Mr Olusola Owonikoko and other speakers gave the charge on Thursday, at the 10 years anniversary and inaugural of Ambassador Walter Carrington Annual Symposium, with the theme: “Rethinking Governance for women and youth political participation,” an event in memory of late Ambassador Walter Carrington, ex-United States Ambassador to Nigeria, held at the Muson Centre, Lagos Island.

According to Owonikoko Carrington devoted his life to championing the course of democratic justice with an emphasis on the protection of women and youth’s rights in power and opportunities.

“Therefore, until these ones are invested upon in Nigeria, Carrington might not have been best celebrated. Of blessed memories, Carrington had stressed that the challenge would not be met for so long in Nigeria when male elites continue to use government to meet their own needs and not those of their poor brothers and sisters, to end corruption,” he said.

Owonikoko explained that Carrington fellowship Network Association is a member-based association that is non-profit, non-political or religious and has been able to reach out to 50 communities in Lagos in the execution of her project, with the target to cover up to 5 regions by 2022, in developing young ones to make an impact and positive change in Nigeria.

The keynote speaker, Ambassador Toyo Nkoyo, in her speech said that the youths needed to take their country as their own personal property, “by taking back Nigeria just as Carrington has never kept silent to fight for peace and youths inclusion in politic.

Nkoyo, quoting Carrington, said: “We are we, and not we are me,” adding that until the youths started changing the dynamics of power with their desire to involve in politics, to motivate, inform and influence other youths to get involved, “then it is possible to intimidate the population of Nigeria politics and this could cause negotiations of inclusion in the society.”

The Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, congratulated the organiser of the event aimed to draw attention to respecting the rights of young ones and persons in Nigeria, stressing that in Edo State, the premium is placed on building institutions and not individuals and has 40 per cent women representation in their state executive council.

He stated further that “it is all about politics if we keep on celebrating human beings and those that have money which has destroyed the fabrics of our society where bridges and roads have become issues but when you build institutions, these institutions would create that world and you that are building them, after leaving there, the institutions would live there to protect you but when you build individuals when they leave they go with their visions.

“Edo State will never stop training and retraining her engine room in the civil service because the engine room remains the bureaucrat in the united states, “he said.

The wife of the late Walter Carrington, Dr Arese Carrington, however, charged the youth never to give up in Nigeria and should not let anyone take away power from the youths saying that her late husband lived by taking up all banners against all odds without silence so as to give an enabling environment. Government must not let the youth down as the future depends on the action of today.”

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo- Olu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Mrs Ponnle Ajibola, said in the goodwill message said his administration is women-friendly as women are well represented in the state cabinet and 50 per cent of women in the MDAs are directly women, “there is nothing stopping the youths in getting involved in governance.”

The Olu of worri, Tshola Emiko Ogiame Atuwatse 111 commended the widow of Carrington and co-founder of the event to the course of the initiative and spoke through the programme’s stated that the effectiveness of government still needed to be bridged as ideas of the young ones in the society too are important and as Nigeria women are natural incubators and imagine what we would all achieve if all are peacefully done well.”

Other in attendance were: Member of the Board of US Consulate, Mr. Basil Omiyi, the Panelists moderator, Mr Mayowa Tijani, Mrs Abosede Alimi George, Mrs Oyeyemi Emmanuel and Mr Rufai Oseni.

Vanguard News Nigeria