Soriyan urges youths to build capacity, secure future
U.S. author tasks youths on self-development
Dr Olakunle Soriyan, a U.S.-based author, has urged Nigerian youths to take responsibility for their future by developing their abilities and preparing for emerging challenges.
Soriyan made the call while delivering the keynote address at the third annual conference of the Unveiling and Rebranding Nigeria Initiative (URNI), themed “Rise Up Patriots”, on Saturday in Abuja.
He said young Nigerians must recognise that their future depended largely on their choices and willingness to accept responsibility for the consequences.
“Nigeria is built to make you do the needful. If you choose not to go to school, the decision and consequences are all yours,” he said.
Soriyan stressed that individuals should begin taking full responsibility for their lives upon attaining the age of 18, rather than relying on entitlement.
“When you reach 18 years, you have lost all rights to entitlement to any system. That is why I believe parenting ends at 18.
“So, the best thing you can do for yourself is to build your capacity,” he said.
Also speaking, Ambassador Hassan Tukur, MFR, a patron of URNI, urged Nigerians to move beyond discussing the country’s challenges and embrace practical efforts to drive national development.
Tukur, represented by Ambassador Jamil Waziri, said nation-building required more than expressing opinions and sharing messages on social media.
He commended URNI for organising the conference and encouraged citizens to translate their concerns about Nigeria into meaningful actions.
“Nigerians are not short of opinions about developing Nigeria, but these opinions are only shared on WhatsApp daily.
“We must do more than sharing messages online. We should choose one task within our reach daily to make Nigeria better. That is how countries develop,” he said.
Award-winning broadcast journalist, Seun Okinbaloye, also called on Nigerians to actively demand accountability from public office holders.
He said the responsibility of holding leaders accountable should not rest solely on journalists, noting that citizens across different communities had important roles to play.
“We should not leave accountability to only journalists. The market woman should ask questions about market levies, while communities should ask why their clinics are not functioning,” he said.
Okinbaloye urged citizens to identify their elected representatives, monitor abandoned projects and speak up on issues affecting their communities.
Similarly, the Coordinator of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), SP Orvenonne Ikwen, advised youths to shun drug abuse, cultism and political thuggery.
He urged young people to resist negative peer influence and embrace responsible citizenship to secure their future.
The conference attracted students from Nasarawa State University, Keffi; the University of Abuja and Veritas University, Abuja.
The event ended with a musical performance by veteran Nigerian singer, Daddy Showkey.
