By Orji Sampson
Youths from Imo North (Okigwe Zone) have avowed to a new course of action towards the ideals of a discipline, surviving instincts, contributing to a progressive and better society of their zone. These were the focus of discussions that ensued at the annual convention of the Okigwe Zone youth Progressive Association held recently at Bossman Hotels, Ihitte/Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State.
The convention which witnessed assemblage of youths drawn from the six Local Governments of Imo North namely, Obowo, Onuimo, Okigwe, Isiala –Mbano, Ehime Mbano and IhiteUboma was remarkably tagged “Festival of Redemption.”
At the event, a panel of selected and experienced youth political leaders, captains of industries, religious leaders and people from all works of life converged to brainstorm on the current challenges the youths grapple with including- high rate of criminal tendencies, drug abuse or addiction, mental poverty that culminates in sycophancy, electoral thuggery and how these factors affect the development of focused and quality life of the youths of the zone.
In their contributions, each of the panelists spoke from their areas of interests and experience. The first speaker at the event, Chief Engineer Innocent Enwenaonu, a finance expert with notable years of experience in the oil and gas sector hyped on the value of education.
He encouraged the youths to give themselves to quality education and character training which he said is the panacea for a refocused youth generation.
Reverend Father Chukwuma C. Chukwuma, the Association’s Chaplain who is also the Parish Priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor Catholic Parish, Okwe in Onuimo Local Government, exposed various ideas that will translate to achieving an improved, secured, disciplined and drug free life among the youth and further hinted on the role religious organization can play in redeeming the youths.
Furthering the discussion, Hon Nnaemeka Nzenwa Godbless, the CEO of Nemex Automobile and Executive Director of Nemex Vanguard together with Engineer Lucky Nwoke, who were both 2019 election House of Assembly Candidates from Ihitte/Uboma deliberated on other matters. Engineer Lucky hinted on the possible strategies to reorient the minds of the youth in order to curb the effects of their low self-esteem, mental poverty and disproportionate Sycophancy. While Hon. Nnaemeka explored the need to engage the youths in creativity, job empowerment and such schemes as the panacea to sustainable youth redemption in Okigwe zone areas.
Earlier in his keynote speech, the president of the association, Hon. Ned John Korie, reiterated the vision of the association captured as “Refocusing Okigwe Zone”. He pointed out the focu of the association which included organizing activities that would discourage the minds of the youth from cyber fraud, sexual immorality, drug abuse, secret cults, armed-robbery, illegal and inordinate ambition to migrate outside the country for desperate riches. He hinted that the association was chiefly founded to drive community and social development, engage relevant authorities to improve the infrastructural deficit in Okigwe Zone as well as mentor the youth of the zone to be focused.
Hon. Ned Korie highlighted the achievement of the group since its establishment in the last two years: citing the various educative lectures series organized by the association where notable Professors from world class Universities in USA, South Africa and Uganda have lectured, the Catch them Young Program (a project targeted at primary and secondary school reorientation) as well as the recently initiated OZYPA Cooperative Society through which welfare programs, financial and economic empowerment of the members would be achieved.
He reserved breath to applaud the magnanimity of MrsNkemdiOnyirimba who cast the vision of the group and shared such vision with the president and members shortly after the 2019 election.
In a communique issued at the end of the convention, The Board, Executive and members of the association applauded the mutual efforts they have deployed so far towards sustaining such a registered, united front for the youth of the zone. They celebrated the optimism and other advantages they have developed through the periodic mentorship programmes of the association and declared that they will commit to the redemption of their zone from political hawks and rid their society of undesirable elements among them.
They however decried the insensitivity of certain political actors of the zone who are only interested in making the youths their electoral stooge. They implored concerned government stakeholders and those who are politically influential in the zone to step-up their activities, take responsibilities and deploy more action on the areas of youth reorientation and empowerment programs that will engage the youths of the zone and free their minds from negative tendencies.
