From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
A former deputy governor of Abia state, who is currently representing Abia South senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has advised Nigerian youths to acquire a skill or more so as to be self reliant and productive in the society.
Senator Abaribe lamented that the era of white collar jobs when there were jobs for graduates from universities are gone, stating the option left for youths is to under vocational trade that will enable them become self employed and cater for themselves.
Senator Abaribe gave the charge in Enugu on Friday,July 5, in his opening remarks delivered at the event of South East Youth Development and Values Orientation programme, heldt at Amadeo event center,Enugu.
Senator Abaribe described the theme of the conference ,”South East Youths for a Transformative Future” as very apt, advising that Igbo Youth must rediscover and embrace the original culture of Apprenticeship(Igba boy) through which the race developed chains of related business empires progressively.He revealed that Havard University has co-opted the policy of apprenticeship originally formated by the Igbo race as a course of study.
The Abia state senator condemned the current zeal of “get rich quick mania at al cost” as a strange culture in Igbo land, attributing it to be the cause of the current menace of armed robbery, kidnapping, drug abuse.fraud and other related social vices.
He tasked the South East Governors to reform the educational system to provide for vocational skills for youths. He said it is no longer a matter of speaking good english after higher education that qualifier you to get a job, lamenting that kind of job exists no more. Therefore, it has become vital for the youths to acquire one skill or another so as to be productive.
“Our educational system have to be reformed. Initially,the emphasis was speaking good english. But today, the emphasis should be on skills acquisition to contribute to contribute to economic growth”.
Speaking earlier, the Director General of South East Governors forum, Senator Uche Ekwunife, who is the convener of the event, said the gathering is for the youths and aimed at re discovering the core values, conducts and culture of the Igbo nation, to enable the present Igbo youths stir a new direction for their future.
Senator Ekwunife commended the five governors of the South East for their respective initiates in developing their states vis a vis the South East region.
She tasked Igbo youths to strive hard justly to succeed in thei various endevaour amidst challenges, stating pioneer Igbo leaders like late Dim Odumegwu O jukwu, late M.I. Okpara,among others got to pinnacle of leadership at youthful stages.
Governor Mbah of Enugu state who was represented by his deputy, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, tasked the youths to exhibit qualities of good leadership at every stage of their life they found themselves. whether in the school, at their community and even within their families as a measure of preparing themselves when trusted with political leadership.
The royal father of the day, His Majesty Chief Emma Ugwu, the traditional ruler of Ibagwa Nike, who stood in for the chairman of South East Traditional ruler. Igwe Ikechukwu Asadu, said every human being is born to fill a gap and tasked the youth to work hard so as to meet up with their destiny.
The Youth leaders appealed for adequate representation in governance, pleading they should be involved in the affairs of the South East Governors forum when decisions regarding to the youths are to be taken.
Youths from several higher institutions across the South East zone were involved in the one day programme which featured other panels of discussion on the way forward for Igbo youths.
