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By Amos Okioma, Yenagoa
The need for Bayelsa youths to be disciplined and play politics with a high sense of decency were the highpoints raised by a former commissioner for Special Duties in Bayelsa State, Rueben Okoya at the first Orange Movement Youth Convocation in Yenagoa.
The convocation was organized by the Coalition for Development and Democracy in Bayelsa (CDDB) with the theme, ‘Building Bayelsa Together Through Participatory Democracy: The Youths Perspective’.
Rueben Okoya who was a special guest of honour at the event stated that youths and education issues are crucial for socio-economic and political development of not only the youths but also the state as a whole.
While noting that although Nigerian youths are striving under very tight environment, Okoya urged them to endeavour to channel their God-given talents into useful ventures and emulate leaders who advocate for peace and development of the state.
In his address, the executive director of CDDB, Dr. Ekiyor Welson enjoined Bayelsa youths to come together under a particular platform to chart a way forward.
Dr. Welson also stated that the platform is what the Orange Movement represents, adding that Bayelsa youths should see themselves as part of the building of a greater Bayelsa.
The royal father of the day, His Royal Majesty Joshua Igbagara posited that education is the key to national development all over the world, emphasizing that youths must pursue quality education while making useful contributions when playing politics.
The traditional ruler who is the Amananaowei of Gbarain Kingdom further pointed out that Bayelsa youths were being baptized at the event to become useful elements in politics and other sectors of the society, stressing that they should shun social vices that are capable of negatively affecting the development of the state as a whole.
While the Bayelsa State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Archbishop Jacob Akpiri averred that the clergy will not only mobilized Bayelsans to support a youthful governor, but will prayer for a peaceful election and screen out any aspirant that has links to cultism or is a cocaine or drug addict.
“During the next governorship election we shall pray for peaceful election and screen out anyone who is a drunkard, cocaine smoker or does not have fear of God,” he said.
Over 600 youth groups and students from institutions of higher learning across the country attended the 1st Orange Movement Youth Convocation.
Also in attendance were royal fathers and spiritual leaders.
Meanwhile, an 11-point communique released at the end of the event decried the imposition of candidates, thuggery and other electoral malpractice as hindrance to democracy. The communique stressed that the selection of students for scholarship based on favoritism negates the principle of merit, that politicians should give all the candidates equal opportunity to contest and try their ability. It also described politicians and political leaders as cause of the state’s problems, which have resulted to social ills like election violence, rigging, militancy, kidnapping and fraudulent mismanagement of resources, and condemned legislators who divert constituency funds to their personal use, thereby denying them of constituency projects that were meant to accelerate development. It also called for active participation of the youths in politics and governance.
