Co-convener Nigeria Youth Decide, Dr. Utchay Odims in company of entertainer and good governance advocate, Charles Oputa, otherwise known as Charly Boy at the weekend met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the Presidential Library Abeokuta in Ogun State where they expressed dissatisfaction with the turn of events in the country today.
This comes as the duo and other partners have concluded to host
NIGERIA YOUTH DECIDE campaign in October 1, 2023 in Abuja.
Speaking at the meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Odims African UN Ambassador while soliciting for his fatherly advise said young people have in recent times made frantic efforts to put themselves together to make the desired change in the country.
"Nigeria youths have never been this informed and desperate before to bring about change. I am involved in this community, we have done several programmes to galvanise the potentials of young people.
"I am the project director of the National Youth Summit (the largest youth gathering in Nigeria) we have done all kinds of programmes, and we are constantly in touch with young people.
"What usually happens is that the politicians come to us and tell us that this is what we want to do for you. But this time, we are saying no. We are going to tell the politicians what we want.
"Normally after election, people fold their arms, it's like a church service and everyone will go home. Now we want to hold government accountable to deliver every single word they have spoken.
"Our future is being mortgaged, a lot of young people are practically on the back side, poverty has scrapped the head of young people" he lamented.
He said a lot of young people are hungry, frustrated and hopeless, wondering where the service from the politicians is.
Dr. Odims while maintaining that Nigeria youths have done well in entertainment, sports, ICT and other areas apart from "LEADERSHIP" said the upcoming 'Nigerian Youth Decide' is an opportunity to interrogate the candidates so that the right people will emerge at various levels to entrench the kind of Nigeria youths are yearning for.
In his response, Chief Obasanjo said changing leadership is a sure way to guarantee true change in the society, stating that only the youths have the capacity to put in place an effective leadership.
While stating that it requires critical minds to make the desired social change, he urged the team not to be discouraged by the number of youths who buy into their vision, adding that it takes a few visionary individuals to make a change and the former president pledged his support and endorsed the project massively.
At an earlier engagement, Dr. Utchay Odims said time has come for the youths to take their destiny in their hands and stop taking the back seat.
According to Dr. Odims, a stakeholders meeting x-rayed youth inclusion, state of the nation, growing insecurity, poverty, lack of employment, poor productivity and others.
"The NIGERIA YOUTH DECIDE would be a historical moment where we are going to have presidential candidates in attendance, they will listen to young people, activists and they will listen to what the people want.
"It is already gathering momentum across board and it will be a golden opportunity for us to chart new frontiers for our future.
"Presidential candidates are expected to be in attendance, technocrats, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders" he said.
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