Babarinsa, Arase, Others for SDTF Round-table

Shola Oyeyipo

Constitutional Lawyer, leading human rights and anti-corruption crusader, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, the immediate past Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, and fearless journalist, Dare Babrinsa, will all be part of a roundtable, organised by Sustainable Development and Transparency (SDTF).

The event billed for Wednesday, November 1 at the Nigerian Institute ofJournalism (NIJ), Ogba, Lagos, will also attract other speakers such as former Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos; Professor Chioma Agomo; Deputy Provost, Nigerian Institute of Journalism; Dr. Jide Johnson, co-founder of TELL News Magazine and Managing Director, Gaskiya Media Group; Mr. Dare Babarinsa, President, Nigerian Guild of Editors and Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The New Telegraph Newspaper; Mrs. Funke Egbemode, as well as Deputy Managing Director/Deputy Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Newspaper, Mr. Steve Nwosu.

The Executive Director, SDTF, Mr. Shola Oshunkeye, said the anti-corruption non-profit organisation is bringing together the resources persons to discuss ‘Best Strategies In Engaging The Youth In Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption War.

The event will also sensitise the youth, especially journalism students, on how to recognise the early symptoms of the cancer, its disastrous consequences, and how to avoid the pitfalls that could predispose them to the demeaning disease.

According to Oshunkeye, the youth were targeted “because they represent a significant portion of the population and are generally more receptive to social change and political transformation, since they may have less interest in maintaining the status quo.

“Second, in Nigeria, the youth have become part of the most vulnerable group of citizens that suffer the most from the consequences of the misdemeanours of those in charge of the country’s destiny. Through the corruption epidemic that has ravaged Nigeria since the onset of this democracy in 1999, the aspirations of the youth have either been amputated or stunted. Millions of Nigeria’s youth face uncertain future due to no fault of theirs. As a result, engaging them in the war against the cancer of corruption is essential for success,” he said.