President Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday day, urged young Nigerians to avoid being tempted by divisive sentiments and elements using tribe and religion, but advised their generation to bury the old time prejudices for nation building and unity in diversity.
The president, who made the appeal at the weekend at the combined convocation ceremony of the Federal University, Wukari, in Taraba State, further told the youth that burying theirprejudices would help heal wounds and build a great society.
In another development, medical expert and activist, Dr. Dele Oluwatade, has advised President Muhammad Buhari to consider restructuring Nigeria and stop the continuous borrowing from China for the sake of the future of the country.
However, Buhari, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in Taraba, assured the people that the federal government would continue to offer and support initiatives that would create wealth, jobs and opportunities for young Nigerians.
But, he also reiterated that the youths too must acquire knowledge and skills to innovate, create, be productive and contribute value so as to build their future and better the lot of the country.
In his address titled, “A Great Future,” the president encouraged youths to see the various challenges in the environment as opportunities for the creation of solutions.
Buhari noted that the Nigerian can-do spirit was an inspiration to establish globally renowned industries and achieve great things, as it has earned many Nigerians international acclaim.
He said, “Nation building is a continuous process; it involves all of us. It is not just about doing well at our jobs or innovation, or brick and mortar; it is about building bridges of brotherhood and unity. Let it be your generation that will bury those prejudices, heal those wounds and build a great society of brothers and sisters of all tribes and tongues.
“Refuse to be consumed by the petty prejudices and biases that predispose you to mutual antagonism with your fellow citizens. You must refuse to be prisoners of history and commit to encountering the world with an open mind.
“You belong to a generation of Nigerians ordained by momentous historical circumstances to play on a grander stage. You belong to the most globalised generation ever to walk this earth and your field of competition is not local, but global. You have come of age in the era of a worldwide marketplace of opportunity.
“You belong to one of the most resilient, dynamic and energetic populations on this planet – a people that are by nature undaunted by the challenges of their environment. This can-do spirit is why Nigeria is now home to the third largest film industry in the world and why we are the epicenter of a global and pan-African popular culture driven by the dynamism of Nigerian creatives.
“Our tech entrepreneurs and innovators are not just applying their talents to profit-making endeavours, but also seeking to address social problems. Young Nigerians, such as yourselves, are pioneering new patterns of enterprise and wealth creation and, in the process, have established this country as the most vibrant innovation hub on the African continent.”
According to him, the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme – which would last for five years and would be funded by the Federal Government, the UNDP and the European Union (EU), is set to begin.
Annually, the programme will provide 20,000 young graduates with fully-paid 12-month internships in reputable private and public sector organisations across the country.
The president emphasised that his administration recognised that infrastructure was key to development, just as digital technology provided a pathway to accelerated growth.
He added, “So, we are on course to ensure broadband connectivity for all by 2025. We are also connecting the vast reaches of our country by investing heavily in rail and road infrastructure, because we recognise that the ease and speed with which people and goods can move is a key accelerant of economic development.
“In effect, we are opening new economic corridors that can enhance trade and enable access to markets. These ongoing projects are resulting in the creation of more jobs and increased economic activities in host communities.”
Meanwhile, addressing newsmen in Benin City, Edo State, at the weekend, Oluwatade, who was also the President, City Gate Elders Parliament, expressed worries over the recent happenings in the country occasioned by bad leadership.
He said, “A restructured Nigeria will and can survive the debt burden and economic hardship facing the nation.”
Lamenting the huge debt burden occasioned by the nation’s borrowing from foreign nations particularly, China, Oluwatade said, “This is a generational burden he has placed on Nigerians. My discourse is to help him again, redeem his image and bring something good out of His Excellency, for which his lineage will be proud of, and all Nigerians will forgive give and love him.
“Remove the headache of borrowing to pay salaries, which is ready to backfire now. A restructured Nigeria will/can survive the debt burden and economic hardship leading in the air.”
Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
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