Project One Tasks Youths on Education, Leadership Skills

From Kuni Tyessi in  Abuja

Project One Productions, organisers of #IAmNigerian, has called on Nigerian youths to embrace education, capacity programmes and go through processes of mentorship and followership in order to acquire experience.” ‎

‎It also urged the National Assembly to transmit the ‘’Not Too Young to Run Bill’’ to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Addressing a press conference ahead of ‘2018, I Am Nigerian Conference’, the convener, Mrs Bisayo Busari-Akinnadeju, called on young and able Nigerians not to relent in pressurising the National Assembly to transmit the bill.

Busari-Akinnadeju noted the sad reality in Nigeria, adding that youths are used as election consultants, social media battalions, and political thugs.

 He said youths were also seen as younger generation unable to participate in politics and governance.

She called on Nigerian youths to ‘’shun greed, selfish ambition, lack of capacity and over competition, collaborate effectively as a united front that advances the well-being of young Nigerians to take up leadership position without fear or intimidation.’’

She said: “I have observed the disturbing trend in the rising wave of intolerance to dissenting viewpoints and ideologies.

‘’Go into social media and see what young people are doing to themselves in the name of politics and the superiority contest to establish who holds the best opinion.’’

Busari-Akinnadeju noted that all youths cannot go into politics but many of them could, adding that the competent ones with character and integrity must be encouraged.

She averred that youths must understand that anyone serving the country in any political position means serving the people that voted him/her into government.

Busari-Akinnadeju advised that anyone going into government for the sole purpose of money should have a serious rethink.

‘’This is the direction our youths should be aspiring for to effect change. Another important requirement for those aspiring for political office is campaign funding.

No matter how good a candidate’s intention might be; lack of adequate financial support can be an obstacle to a successful campaign and Project One Nigerian is keen on empowering youths across the nation in its “Fund the Preneur” programme which will kick off in Ondo State in 2019 and five other states in the first edition,’’ she added.