Former Head of State and elder statesman, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), has urged the Citizenship and Leadership Training Center (CLTC) to strengthen its synergy with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for the growth of our youth and nation.
He said this while delivering his good will message via zoom during the 70th anniversary of the CLTC on Thursday in Abuja.
The retired general noted that the NYSC has been a platform for human development since its inception, hence the need for a more strengthened collaboration from the CLTC, being a Centre under the ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
He thanked the CLTC for 70 years of commitment to bettering the lives of the youth and instilling core ethics and leadership values.
According to him, “The youth service Corp has been serving the nation so predictably in all areas of human development and service since its inception in 1973.
“There is a need for these two citizenship and leadership training schemes to work in synergy for the growth of our youth and nation.”
The Hon. Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, represented by Nebeolisa Anako, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, during a keynote speech, gave insight on the history of CLTC which he said was established as the “Man O War Bay” before the modification in 1989.
He further spoke on the several values and mandates of the CLTC and thanked the Centre for not lagging in delivering its mandates and core responsibilities.
The Hon. Minister stated that technology has caused Nigeria and the world at large, tremendous economic change and demolishing old boundaries. He however, decried the decline in morals, citizenship and leadership values the advent of technology has caused.
In his analysis of the national ethics, he mentioned that the attainment of peace is key for development. Reason why he believes in deployment of the national ethics as instruments for settling conflicts so they don’t degenerate to chaos.
He said, “As you may already know, the centre was established as the ‘’Man O War Bay’’ training centre in 1957 and located in Victoria, Southern Cameroon before Nigeria attained independence. It was given a legal status by an Ordinance published in the extra-ordinary Gazette NO 45 of 10th August, 1960 and modified by Decree NO38 of December, 1989 which changed the Name of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre. “The law that established the Centre saddled it with the responsibility to provide strategic training to Nigerians on morals, ethics, values, self-confidence, self-reliance, good citizenship and responsible leadership as well as other social related challenges of the society. “You will agree with me that Technology is sweeping through the world, Nigeria inclusive, demolishing old boundaries and simplifying processes thereby expanding opportunities for economic growth and prosperity. However decline in morals, ethics, character and citizenship values present a real and potent threat to the attainment of these potentials with its attendant’s negative effect on peace and nation building. “Section 23 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended dwells on the national ethics to include Discipline, Integrity, Dignity of Labour, Social justice, Religion Tolerance, Self-reliance and Patriotism. A deeper analysis of these national ethics indicates that citizens imbibing and internalising these ethics is an indispensable roadmap for the attainment and sustenance of peace which itself is a panacea for development. “Let me quickly mention here that peace is not necessarily the absence of conflicts but has to do with the instruments put in place to manage conflicts so that it does not degenerate into chaos and restiveness. “This is where Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre comes in. The Centre is a unique establishment which by its mandate plays an important role in the creation of awareness as it relates to the promotion and sustenance of pace and peaceful co-existence in the society.”
