The Nigeria youth wing of the Non-Aligned Movement has planned its inaugural Youths Summit in Nigeria.
This is contained in a statement signed by its pioneer National Representative, Bello Bala Shagari, issued to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday.,
He said that the summit has a theme, ‘The Role of Youth in Fighting Insecurity in Nigeria”, the first of its kind in the country.
“This subject deeply resonates with Nigerians, especially the Nigerian youths whose future remains uncertain as a result of the atmosphere of fear and insecurity that have bedevilled the country,” he added.
According to the National Representative, the trajectory must be reversed with the Nigerian youths comprising nearly 70 per cent of the country’s population.
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Shagari said “Their effective engagement is crucial in addressing insecurity in the country. Without the active engagement of the youths, our nation’s security challenges cannot be adequately tackled.”
While acknowledging the present administration’s relentless efforts in combating insecurity in the country, Bello Shagari said, ”Going forward, the ideas innovations and inputs of young people remain indispensable.
“We have reached out to critical stakeholders, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Youth Development, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector General of Police among others, seeking their collaboration to make the summit a success.
“Additionally, invitations have been extended to relevant governors, traditional leaders, and religious figures to ensure comprehensive stakeholder engagement.
This summit presents an opportunity and a united front in realizing the Nigeria of our aspirations. And we have no doubt, given the caliber of our participants, the outcome of the summit will leave Nigeria a better place.
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“We firmly believe that earnest stakeholder involvement, particularly of young people, is necessary in effectively addressing the root causes of insecurity in Nigeria.”
Bello Shagari, therefore, urged all the relevant stakeholders and youth organizations to join the crucial endeavor to mobilize hundreds of representatives of the largest Nigerian demography to engage them in proffering solutions to the problems of insecurity in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Bello Shagari said that he was excited to announce the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement Youth Organization, Nigeria Chapter.
He said “The Non-Aligned Movement was founded in 1961 during the Cold War era, to champion the interests of developing nations.
“Over its history, it played a pivotal role in decolonization, fostering new independent states, and promoting international democratization, boasting a membership of approximately 120 United Nations member states.
“And Nigeria is among its strongest supporters.
“During the 2019 NAM Heads of States summit in Azerbaijan, the Heads of States and Governments decided to establish a youth wing for the organization, which led to the NAM Youth Summit in 2022 in Azerbaijan.
“As Nigeria’s representative at the summit which led to the formation of the youth organization, I am honoured to become its inaugural National Representative, tasked with establishing a chapter to help drive youth development initiatives in Nigeria.”
