A WELCOME ADDRESS PRESENTED BY COMRADE ONU MOSES ONU, THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF IGEDE NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL NIGERIA DURING THE 6TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CONVENTION/PUBLIC LECTURES/MERIT AWARD AT GREENFIELD EVENT HALL, ALONG IKACHI ROAD, OJU LGA, BENUE STATE ON DECEMBER 30, 2017.
INTRODUCTION
TODAY, I am delighted to address this August occasion in the month of December. I welcome you all to this great occasion of the 6th Annual National Convention, which has become an integral part of the Igede National Youth Council, Nigeria.
Permit me to specially welcome the Chairman and Chairlady of the occasion, Hon. Onah Emmanuel (JP) and Dr. Susan Ogbaji, for taking time out of their extremely crowded schedule to honour our invitation to chair this auspicious occasion where eminent sons and daughters of Igede and well-wishers have come together to address developmental issues concerning the Igede Nation and challenges confronting our collective destiny as a people.
I want to use this opportunity to also welcome our young and erudite speakers, Comrade Iji Precious and Barr. Idikwu Stephen, who will be presenting lectures on "The Role of Youth in Socio-political Development of the Igede Nation" and "The Youth and the Security Challenges in Igede Nation" respectively, with the theme "YOUTH: AN INSTRUMENT FOR BUILDING A DESIRED IGEDE NATION OF OUR DREAM.
More importantly, permit me to on behalf of the entire National Executive Committee of the Igede National Youth Council, appreciate the founding fathers of the Council for their foresightedness in establishing this organization, if not for this singular effort of theirs we would not be standing here today. I say may God continue to keep you. We are proud of you.
I must not forget to appreciate the pioneer National President, who is also my predecessor, Comrade Ominyi Alo Moses and his entire Executive Committee members for their sacrifices and selfless service which gave life to the Council and have made it a household name within and without Igede land.
And lest I forget, I will also like to appreciate every member organization of the Council for giving us this rare honour and privilege to serve you at this juncture of our history.
WHO WE ARE
I believe it is not out of place to briefly tell you who we are, especially for the benefit of our guests. The Igede National Youth Council Nigeria (INYCN) was founded on 15th Day of December 2006. It is the nationally and internationally coordinating body of all Igede Youth Organizations, which includes Unions, Clubs and Groups. Igede National Youth Council has thirty nine member organizations from all over Nigeria. Igede National Youth Council works in close cooperation with several Youth organizations that are not of Igede extraction.
Igede National Youth Council works for promotion of youth and youth organizations in programme areas such as youth employment, environment, human rights, consumer rights, democracy, population, health, drugs, community development and leadership training.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Today, I make bold to say, in spite of the numerous challenges besetting us, ranging from empty treasury to public's lack of confidence and trust on the Council and its leadership, we have recorded great achievements. Some of these major achievements since the inception include the followings:
Though the Council has no preferred candidate for the Adirahu Igede stool, during the selection processes of Adirahu Ny'Igede the Council protested and resisted the imposition of Adirahu Igede (First Class Chief) on the Igede nation by non-Igede people. The Council's protest led to the cancellation of the stage-managed or ill-scripted selection of Adirahu Ny'Igede and eventual rescheduling of selection date by the Executive Governor of Benue State, which led to a free and fair selection of Adirahu Igede. Once again, we congratulate HRH Chief Ero Oga, the Adirahu Ny'Igede the first.
May I outline some pertinent challenges facing the Council. Amongst the many challenges we are facing are:
LACK OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC AGENDA
Lack of political and economic agenda is the bane of Igede econo-political advancement. To say the Igede nation has no political or economic agenda is no lie. We are a people without any known political or economic agenda. We are always the first to rush to pledge our support to political aspirants without negotiations.
I therefore, suggest that the Igede political, professional, and traditional institutions urgently convene an IGEDE NATIONAL CONFERENCE to marshal out Igede Agenda for economic, political, social, cultural development. On our part, we are convening a Youth Political Summit next year and we intend to make it an annual event.
LACK OF IGEDE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Where is the Igede league of professors?
Do we have the league of Igede Lawyers?
What about the league of Igede Medical Doctors?
Where is the league of Igede Engineers? Etc
And if we do have, what is their agenda for the Igede development?
I call on all Igede professionals to rise up to from their long sleep and mobilized themselves into viable and indomitable organizations in order to make meaningful impact in their various spheres and the Igede nation.
SECURITY CHALLENGES IN IGEDELAND
Igedeland has in the recent times witnessed an unprecedented level of security challenges, ranging from cultism, kidnapping, armed robbery and jungle justice.
I recommend that the Omi Ny'Igede in conjunction with other critical stakeholders convene an Igede Security Summit to address the root cause of this unacceptable trend.
THE CHALLENGE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN IGEDELAND
We have a retinue of very brilliant intellectual youth and people, we have great ideas on contemporary issues and where we want to be as a people, which have been very well articulated at various seminars organized by different organizations. To my mind, what is still probably lacking is that entrepreneurial spirit and the will power to push these ideas to actualization.
If we want to see any serious change in our land, we must change our mindset, we must begin to emphasis on entrepreneurship rather than becoming errand boys to politicians, who more often than not pay little or no attention to our welfare, and white collar jobs that we have been known for over the years.
We must take some bold steps; I maintain that the era of blaming the next person for our situation is gone. We need to look inwards.
INADEQUATE SPORTING FACILITIES AND ACTIVITIES IN IGEDELAND
The inadequate sporting facilities and activities in Igedeland is probably the major reason for the rise in crime and criminality amongst our youths.
To reduce crime and criminal activities amongst youths, we have planned to establish an Agba Cup next year, to be competed for by our clans. We therefore, appeal to spirited individuals and government to help us financially and otherwise to achieve this dream.
POLITICS IN BENUE SOUTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT AND IGEDELAND
The time has come for Igede to produce the next senator of Zone C and we need to re-strategize to achieve this dream. What will this strategy be? Would it be to support a single candidate from Igedeland or to move into one political party en-mass? Or what do we do?
As a first step however, I recommend that our elders, socio-cultural organizations, youths and political class begin to interact and negotiate with their peers in the rest of Idomaland.
Let us take the opportunity of the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) to increase our polling units voting strength.
THE FLAGRANT DISRESPECT FOR OUR CULTURAL AND TRADITIONAL INSTUTITIOINS BY IGEDE SONS AND DAUGHTERS VIA PHYSICAL EXPRESSION AND OR SOCIAL MEDIA
The activities of some self acclaimed social media journalist and writers has become an eye sore, worrisome, shameful, unpatriotic and unproductive to the Igede nation, especially our traditional institution.
No doubt, the Igede man is well educated and intelligent, but it seems all that has gotten into our heads, it has made us lose value for our traditional institutions. If you think you are educated and do not have value for others hear what C. S. Lewis said, "Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil."
To be truly educated means we educate our hearts as we educate our minds. Little wonder, Aristotle said, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education." Also, knowledge without character is capable of destroying us says Mahatama Ghandi.
As much as it is important to arm and educate our minds it is equally important to educate our hearts as well. Let us all educate ourselves to realise the value and worth of our fellow beings as much as we value and treasure our individual hearts and minds.
The traditional stool of the Adirahu Igede is not only about the occupant, but the entire Igede race. We therefore call on our sons and daughters to desist from further demeaning, discration and making caricature of our highest traditional institution. We also call on their pay masters to put an end to the sponsoring of such great evil in our land.
Finally, I will not fail to appreciate all those who have contributed in one or the other to the development of Igede National Youth Council may God bless you richly.
I want to appreciate also everybody that has made out time to attend this programme, particularly our traditional rulers and political leaders for honoring our invitation and their support to the Council.
May I congratulate all those who will be given awards here today. The award is to spur you to do more for the development of Igedeland.
I am very optimistic that this Convention will afford you the opportunity to share in our collective vision and aspirations for greater Igede nation. I wish you merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Thank you and God bless you all.
Long live Igede!
Long live Igede National Youth Council!
Long live Benue State!
Long live Nigeria!
Comrade Onu Moses Onu
President,
Igede National Youth Council Nigeria
INTRODUCTION
TODAY, I am delighted to address this August occasion in the month of December. I welcome you all to this great occasion of the 6th Annual National Convention, which has become an integral part of the Igede National Youth Council, Nigeria.
Permit me to specially welcome the Chairman and Chairlady of the occasion, Hon. Onah Emmanuel (JP) and Dr. Susan Ogbaji, for taking time out of their extremely crowded schedule to honour our invitation to chair this auspicious occasion where eminent sons and daughters of Igede and well-wishers have come together to address developmental issues concerning the Igede Nation and challenges confronting our collective destiny as a people.
I want to use this opportunity to also welcome our young and erudite speakers, Comrade Iji Precious and Barr. Idikwu Stephen, who will be presenting lectures on "The Role of Youth in Socio-political Development of the Igede Nation" and "The Youth and the Security Challenges in Igede Nation" respectively, with the theme "YOUTH: AN INSTRUMENT FOR BUILDING A DESIRED IGEDE NATION OF OUR DREAM.
More importantly, permit me to on behalf of the entire National Executive Committee of the Igede National Youth Council, appreciate the founding fathers of the Council for their foresightedness in establishing this organization, if not for this singular effort of theirs we would not be standing here today. I say may God continue to keep you. We are proud of you.
I must not forget to appreciate the pioneer National President, who is also my predecessor, Comrade Ominyi Alo Moses and his entire Executive Committee members for their sacrifices and selfless service which gave life to the Council and have made it a household name within and without Igede land.
And lest I forget, I will also like to appreciate every member organization of the Council for giving us this rare honour and privilege to serve you at this juncture of our history.
WHO WE ARE
I believe it is not out of place to briefly tell you who we are, especially for the benefit of our guests. The Igede National Youth Council Nigeria (INYCN) was founded on 15th Day of December 2006. It is the nationally and internationally coordinating body of all Igede Youth Organizations, which includes Unions, Clubs and Groups. Igede National Youth Council has thirty nine member organizations from all over Nigeria. Igede National Youth Council works in close cooperation with several Youth organizations that are not of Igede extraction.
Igede National Youth Council works for promotion of youth and youth organizations in programme areas such as youth employment, environment, human rights, consumer rights, democracy, population, health, drugs, community development and leadership training.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Today, I make bold to say, in spite of the numerous challenges besetting us, ranging from empty treasury to public's lack of confidence and trust on the Council and its leadership, we have recorded great achievements. Some of these major achievements since the inception include the followings:
- Maintenance of Law and Order in our Communities: The Council is partners with law enforcement agencies in the maintenance of law and order in Oju LGA.
- Sacked Workers (Mostly Youth) of Oju LGC : As an organization that is ready to fight for the rights of her members and the entire Igede Nation, it served as the advocate of the over 400 youth sacked by Hon. Dave Ode's led Care-Taker Committee in 2012, but unfortunately the sacked workers lost to the LGC.
- Skill Aquisition Programmes: The Council have trained over 750 youth in various skills acquisition through the Youth Development Centre established in 2011. It also offered extramural classes for both secondary school students and post secondary students.
- Enlightenment Campaigns: The Council have also carried out public enlightenment campaigns against illicit drugs and drug abuses, cultism, child trafficking and child labour, etc.
- Struggle for the Creation of Igede First Class Stool and the Selection of Adirahu Ny'Igede: The Igede National Youth Council played a vital role in the struggle for the creation of First Class Stool for the Igede nation. We attended and submitted memorandum in all the public hearings held in respect to the bill seeking to amend Benue State Chieftaincy Law. Today, we are grateful to HE Chief Samuel Ortom, our House of Assembly members from Igede and all those involved in making it a reality.
Though the Council has no preferred candidate for the Adirahu Igede stool, during the selection processes of Adirahu Ny'Igede the Council protested and resisted the imposition of Adirahu Igede (First Class Chief) on the Igede nation by non-Igede people. The Council's protest led to the cancellation of the stage-managed or ill-scripted selection of Adirahu Ny'Igede and eventual rescheduling of selection date by the Executive Governor of Benue State, which led to a free and fair selection of Adirahu Igede. Once again, we congratulate HRH Chief Ero Oga, the Adirahu Ny'Igede the first.
- Protest Against the Sale and Removal of Generating Plants and other Materials from Oju General Hospital: The Council with other well-meaning Igede sons and daughters protested against the auctioning and/or removal of generating plants and vehicles from General Hospital Oju, in the name of unserviceble machines - scraps. The Council's protest led to the cancellation of the auctioning of all the so-called scraps in the 23 LGs.
- Anti-Open Grazing and Anti-Cultism Bills Public Hearing: The Council attended and presented one of the best Memorandum at Benue State House of Assembly organized Public Hearing on Anti-grazing and Anti-cultism and kidnapping Activities Bills in Otukpo and Makurdi.
- Igede Youth Council and other Benue Youth Organisations: The Council has been working in close cooperation with several Youth organizations that are not of Igede extraction within and outside BENUE State. We played a leading role in the formation of Benue Youth Forum.
May I outline some pertinent challenges facing the Council. Amongst the many challenges we are facing are:
- Zero funding
- Lack of Council bus or car (mobility)
- Lack of a Youth Development Centre
- Lack of computer accessories such as: 3 Adapters, 1 Flat screen monitor, 3 keyboards, 3 VGA Cable, 3 Mouse, 4 UPS, Larser Jet P1320,
- High level of drug abuse and examination malpractices among youths
- Proliferation of Igede youth organizations. Existance of too many uncoordinated Igede youth organizations bearing aims and objectives opposed to the Igede National Youth Council and Igede nation is staling the wheel of youth activism and the development of Igede nation.
- Advocacy Programmes: Campaign against drug abuse, cultism and other social vices via radio program and visitation to schools.
- Annual Igede Youth Political Summit
- Agba Carnival
- Agba Football Competition (Agba Cup)
- Skill Acquisition program
- Youth National Worship Day
- Construction of Youth Development Center, etc.
LACK OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC AGENDA
Lack of political and economic agenda is the bane of Igede econo-political advancement. To say the Igede nation has no political or economic agenda is no lie. We are a people without any known political or economic agenda. We are always the first to rush to pledge our support to political aspirants without negotiations.
I therefore, suggest that the Igede political, professional, and traditional institutions urgently convene an IGEDE NATIONAL CONFERENCE to marshal out Igede Agenda for economic, political, social, cultural development. On our part, we are convening a Youth Political Summit next year and we intend to make it an annual event.
LACK OF IGEDE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Where is the Igede league of professors?
Do we have the league of Igede Lawyers?
What about the league of Igede Medical Doctors?
Where is the league of Igede Engineers? Etc
And if we do have, what is their agenda for the Igede development?
I call on all Igede professionals to rise up to from their long sleep and mobilized themselves into viable and indomitable organizations in order to make meaningful impact in their various spheres and the Igede nation.
SECURITY CHALLENGES IN IGEDELAND
Igedeland has in the recent times witnessed an unprecedented level of security challenges, ranging from cultism, kidnapping, armed robbery and jungle justice.
I recommend that the Omi Ny'Igede in conjunction with other critical stakeholders convene an Igede Security Summit to address the root cause of this unacceptable trend.
THE CHALLENGE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN IGEDELAND
We have a retinue of very brilliant intellectual youth and people, we have great ideas on contemporary issues and where we want to be as a people, which have been very well articulated at various seminars organized by different organizations. To my mind, what is still probably lacking is that entrepreneurial spirit and the will power to push these ideas to actualization.
If we want to see any serious change in our land, we must change our mindset, we must begin to emphasis on entrepreneurship rather than becoming errand boys to politicians, who more often than not pay little or no attention to our welfare, and white collar jobs that we have been known for over the years.
We must take some bold steps; I maintain that the era of blaming the next person for our situation is gone. We need to look inwards.
INADEQUATE SPORTING FACILITIES AND ACTIVITIES IN IGEDELAND
The inadequate sporting facilities and activities in Igedeland is probably the major reason for the rise in crime and criminality amongst our youths.
To reduce crime and criminal activities amongst youths, we have planned to establish an Agba Cup next year, to be competed for by our clans. We therefore, appeal to spirited individuals and government to help us financially and otherwise to achieve this dream.
POLITICS IN BENUE SOUTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT AND IGEDELAND
The time has come for Igede to produce the next senator of Zone C and we need to re-strategize to achieve this dream. What will this strategy be? Would it be to support a single candidate from Igedeland or to move into one political party en-mass? Or what do we do?
As a first step however, I recommend that our elders, socio-cultural organizations, youths and political class begin to interact and negotiate with their peers in the rest of Idomaland.
Let us take the opportunity of the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) to increase our polling units voting strength.
THE FLAGRANT DISRESPECT FOR OUR CULTURAL AND TRADITIONAL INSTUTITIOINS BY IGEDE SONS AND DAUGHTERS VIA PHYSICAL EXPRESSION AND OR SOCIAL MEDIA
The activities of some self acclaimed social media journalist and writers has become an eye sore, worrisome, shameful, unpatriotic and unproductive to the Igede nation, especially our traditional institution.
No doubt, the Igede man is well educated and intelligent, but it seems all that has gotten into our heads, it has made us lose value for our traditional institutions. If you think you are educated and do not have value for others hear what C. S. Lewis said, "Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil."
To be truly educated means we educate our hearts as we educate our minds. Little wonder, Aristotle said, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education." Also, knowledge without character is capable of destroying us says Mahatama Ghandi.
As much as it is important to arm and educate our minds it is equally important to educate our hearts as well. Let us all educate ourselves to realise the value and worth of our fellow beings as much as we value and treasure our individual hearts and minds.
The traditional stool of the Adirahu Igede is not only about the occupant, but the entire Igede race. We therefore call on our sons and daughters to desist from further demeaning, discration and making caricature of our highest traditional institution. We also call on their pay masters to put an end to the sponsoring of such great evil in our land.
Finally, I will not fail to appreciate all those who have contributed in one or the other to the development of Igede National Youth Council may God bless you richly.
I want to appreciate also everybody that has made out time to attend this programme, particularly our traditional rulers and political leaders for honoring our invitation and their support to the Council.
May I congratulate all those who will be given awards here today. The award is to spur you to do more for the development of Igedeland.
I am very optimistic that this Convention will afford you the opportunity to share in our collective vision and aspirations for greater Igede nation. I wish you merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Thank you and God bless you all.
Long live Igede!
Long live Igede National Youth Council!
Long live Benue State!
Long live Nigeria!
Comrade Onu Moses Onu
President,
Igede National Youth Council Nigeria
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