By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi
No fewer than 150 youths selected from the northern states of the country are being trained for two days on leadership and governance by a Non-Governmental Organization, “Lead Generation Initiative.”
Two youths are drawn from each local government area of the two states as well as a representative from each of the 19 northern states.
Speaking while declaring the training open at the Double Four International Conference Center, Bauchi, on Friday, the Founder and Chief of the Board of Trustees of the NGO, Honourable Shina Abiola-Peller explained that the training which was tagged: “Get Involved Leadership Training” was meant to create opportunities for young people to channel their creativity, energy and aspirations to adding value to their communities.
He added that it is to promote youth involvement in politics.
Abiola-Peller, a Member of the House of Representatives representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola and Iwajowa constituency of Oyo state, said that his Organization’s mission is to build, develop and support a new generation of leaders with a sociopolitical culture to catalyse positive change in Nigeria.
He said: “We are aware that the voice of every young Nigerian needs to be heard. We want to galvanize, train, support and raise the voices and stake of the Nigerian youth.
“We are building a new generation of young people that take responsibility for fixing their communities and country through active participation in the socio-political process.”
He noted that the Lead Generation Initiative intends to be Nigeria’s foremost organized movement for socio-political, economic and cultural change and development urged the youth to take their destiny into their own hands and run for various elective offices in the next elections.
According to him, already two editions of the trainings had been done with the maiden edition held in September in Oyo State, his homestate while the second edition was done in Osun State.
“When we came up with Lead Generation, I felt the importance of doing this because o believe that our problem in Nigeria is not the government but national orientation.
“I believe that orientation is a key factor that is affecting the growth of our nation which is not limited to the goverment but also the governed as well.
“And a training like the “Get Involved Leadership Training” is very important to prepare us for the tasks ahead.
“Although Lead Generation is going to be officially unveiled on 21st January, 2021, but we understand the importance of preparing ourselves and creating a structure which we can be able to ride on to be able to achieve our aim and that is why we have been going from one state to another. The problem of our nation is not just a problem that can be solved by the government alone,” he stated.
The Secretary of the Organization, Ekpa Stanley Ekpa, earlier speaking said that the training was sponsored by LGI while Yiaga Africa was engaged to teach the participants on various aspects of leadership.
He stated that the LGI sponsors different types of trainings including youth and women leadership development programmes and creativity and craft program aimed at supporting youth entrepreneurs.
In an interview with journalists, the Executive Director of the NGO, Chief (Mrs.) Sefiat Ayobola Abiola-Peller, said that the Organization hopes to help the youths build a new Nigeria by taking leadership roles in their various communities.
She said: “We are hoping to get our youths trained and we are hoping that we do a kind of reorientation to make them get involved in taking leadership roles in the community.
“We are hoping to rebuild Nigeria and Nigerian Communities by ensuring that each person takes active responsibility in engaging in their own Communities and Local Government and thereby the nation as a whole.”