At the Orogun Youth Arise Conference organized by Orogun Youth Council in partnership with Alliance for Leadership, Equity and Good Governance, held on Sunday, February 11, 2024, Hon. Matthew Onojighofia Omonade, member of the Delta State House of Assembly representing Ughelli North Constituency 1 comprising, Ogor, Agbarha-Otor, Evwreni and Orogun kingdoms, emphasized the imperative of addressing the challenges facing young people in society.
Addressing a gathering of vibrant youths and community leaders at the Orogun Civic Centre, Hon. Omonade emphasized the pivotal role that young people play in driving national progress. He highlighted the undeniable correlation between the caliber of youth within a nation and its overall strength and prosperity. Urging stakeholders to recognize the untapped potential of the youth demographic, Hon. Omonade called for concerted efforts to address their challenges and unlock their capabilities.
In a resounding message directed at government officials, Hon. Omonade, whose commendable legislative track record has quickly garnered recognition within the State Legislative Chambers, his Constituency, and across the Niger Delta region in a mere nine months, boldly stated, “if you are not ready to take the pains of the people and proffer solutions, sit in your house.”
In his words, “It’s important to note that the strength of every nation, its wealth, depends on the quality of youths available in that country. So, if we don’t identify potentials and hear from them about their areas of challenge, the areas where they need intervention, we will not be able to address their problems. This exercise is to highlight those areas and agree amongst ourselves that truly, we have failed our youths, and it’s time to call a spade a spade and do the right things to emancipate our youths from hardship, create opportunities for them. No long stories, let’s take action.”
Highlighting the need for action, Hon. Omonade lamented the failure to adequately address the plight of youths, emphasizing the urgency of creating opportunities and emancipating them from hardship. He called for collective efforts from government at all levels – federal, state, and local – as well as councillors to prioritize youth development initiatives.
“Government at all levels – the federal, state, and local government, and even councilors – have a role and responsibility to discharge to our people to better their lives. Just as I have said, governance is all about the people. And that is why you say, democracy is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people. So, if you are not ready to take the pains of the people and proffer solutions, sit in your house.
Drawing parallels to democratic principles, Hon. Omonade reiterated that governance is fundamentally about serving the people. He emphasized the shared responsibility of elected officials to improve the lives of citizens. He urged leaders to implement programs targeted at youth empowerment, envisioning a better future for generations to come.
“The responsibility should not be left to one man alone. We have a president and governors who take allocation on a monthly basis in billions of naira. We have the local government chairmen who take allocations in billions of nairas meant for the people. You have Senators, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly members, Commissioners, and Councillors at the local government level. If everybody should come together and sincerely put up programs that will be targeted at our people, I believe that the world would be a better place for all of us. And that is the advocacy that I am calling for and insisting that we must implement, not for us but for our children and unborn generations”, Hon. Omonade further said.
Hon. Omonade’s impassioned plea resonated with attendees, inspiring a call to action for concrete measures to support youth advancement. His remarks and donation of Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N550,000) added to the discourse at the conference, which aimed to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to thrive in an ever-changing world.
The Orogun Youth Arise Conference 2024, endorsed by community leaders and supported by various organizations, provided a platform for dialogue and action on pressing issues affecting the youth population. With Hon. Omonade’s words echoing in their minds, participants left the conference with a renewed sense of purpose and determination to effect positive change in their communities and serve as a catalyst for ongoing efforts to empower the next generation of leaders in Orogun and beyond.