Nigeria @60: Saraki greets Nigerians, advocates youth empowerment

A former Senate President of Nigeria, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has urged leaders across all sectors to focus on developing policies, programmes and strategies that will assist bringing out the creativity of Nigerian youths as a way of getting the country to regain lost grounds.

Saraki, in a statement issued from his media office to mark the country’s diamond jubilee, congratulated Nigerians across the world, adding that though the country could not have been said to have fulfilled all the dreams of her founding fathers to build a united, prosperous and secure country that would occupy a leading position in the comity of nations, it is unnecessary to start dwelling on the past but to immediately plan for the future which he said belongs to the youths.

He stated that the present challenge for leaders who are interested in rebuilding Nigeria is to ensure that the youths who constitute over 50 percent of the population are gainfully engaged and their energy channeled to producing goods and services that can help rebuild the national economy.

He said, “If we establish the foundation for a future in which our youths can drive Nigeria forward, we definitely will have a strong chance of rebuilding our country. Then, we can perhaps at long last realize the dreams of our founding fathers. The issues of security, underdevelopment, lack of unity and the negative forces which propel the recent surging demand for the disintegration of our country cannot be defeated If we fail to advance the right capacity building and utilization policies and programmes for Nigeria’s youths.

“We have no option than to turn a new page in our history and start listening to our young people and engaging with them. Not just as elders, but as people willing to learn from them. When I talk with youths, I hear their worries about issues such as jobs, security, healthcare, and unity of the country. I hear their serious concerns about climate change and tackling it. We may not experience its severe impacts, but young people most certainly will. Yet I am also amazed at the boundless zest of these youths. It tells me how much strength and depth there is and from which society can draw. Going forward, we need to champion the things that will enable our young people to take their rightful place in society and lead purposeful and prosperous life.

“As we celebrate this Diamond Anniversary, our gift to Nigerians as leaders should be to start listening to the youths. We must all start acting as role models to the youths. We must live the values that we want our youths to subscribe to. Show them that hard work is worth it. We must individually and collectively take responsibilities that mistakes have been made in the past that prevented us from achieving our full potential as a country. Leaders must hit the reset button. We must not seek power for the sake of power but for the purpose of making a difference to our people especially the youth,” he stated.