A call has gone to the Nigerian government to consider the setting up of what would be known as the ‘Youth Development Fund’ to help fund skill acquisition by the youths, mentorship, and community development engagement activities by young people.
The came in Port Harcourt from the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) which is backed by the United States of America after a stakeholders’ conference.
YALI was set up during the Barack Obama administration to focus on young Africans, and its flagship programme is believed to be the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders.
Adesanya made the call at the summit of
Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), held in
Port Harcourt at the weekend.
Leading the call for the Youth Development Fund, the keynote speaker, a professor and ambassador, Mercy Olufunmilayo Adesanyo, also recommended recommended creation of innovation hubs that provide young people with access to resources, funding, and networks.
Other strategies, according to her, include development of a national youth policy that prioritizes youth development and empowerment and establishment of partnerships between government, civil society, and the private sector to support youth development initiatives.
If implemented, she emphasized, this would successfully harness and drive the potentials of youths to community development.
The stakeholders through speeches and panel debates said youths are not just the future, but that they are the present, the driving force behind innovation, creativity and progress.
The university don urged government and all stakeholders in Nigeria to join efforts to harness the potential of the Nigerian youths for community development.
On the interconnected triad of purpose: people and profit, Adesanyo, who is a former presidential candidate in the 2023 elections and an esteemed educator, proposed the adoption of the “Triple Bottom Line” (TBL), approach which, according to her, recognizes that people and profit are interconnected and interdependent.
She elucidated thus: “By prioritizing purpose, we create a foundation for long-term success and profitability. By prioritizing people, we create a positive work and culture that drive innovation, growth, and development. By recognizing the interconnectedness of purpose, people and profit, we can create a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future for all.”
Adesanyo also advised the youths to discover their purpose, build their skills, cultivate positive relationships by taking action and be proactive.
She also advised them to stay focused and motivated, and above all, to cultivate a deep and meaningful relationship with God by heeding the wisdom of the book of Ecclesiastes which says; ‘Remember your creator in the days of your youth.’
Earlier in his welcome address, the Coordinator, YALI Network, Rivers State Hub, Ejike Onyeke, said Young African Leaders’ Initiative (YALI), a non-profit organization, was founded in Nigeria in 2010 to take care of the needs of Nigerian youths between the ages of 18 and 35 years.
Onyeke extolled the virtues of YALI Network, projects, and achievements, under his leadership in Rivers State within the year, to include: Participation in Nigeria’s one million tree project where they were able to plant 50 trees across some schools in Rivers State; visited prisons to donate food items and items to vulnerable inmates.
He also said their activities have impacted lives and businesses of many members who have enjoyed several educational scholarships to study abroad. He said his group also established successful relationships and job connections through the YALI Network organization in Rivers State.
Top of the projects executed, he revealed, include freeing one of the female inmates in Port Harcourt prison this year and helping her to enroll in her current apprenticeship in Port Harcourt.
He urged all youths within the age bracket of 18 and 35 to Join the network and take advantage of its laudable projects.
He also solicited for more assistance and collaboration from the state government, the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, and Ministry of Youth Development and all international organizations to fulfill their vision and goals to change the narratives of the teaming youths in the country.
He said, “The impact and the service of humanity is a general call that every living human being should be able to partner in one way or the other.
Onyeke unveiled the slogan of YALI as: “Touch lives; We are because you are; We are because you are; And I am because you are. For us to be able to thrive, for us to be able to have sane society, a sustainable one, we need to be able to come together in partnership, more as individuals and as an organization to be able to help those in need”.
Also in session, was a discussion on; ‘Purposeful Leadership as a Young African”.
The panelists included Abali Ejike: medical practitioner and nonprofit leader; Serena Francis; Mandela Washington Fellow and Founder, Super Woman Organization; Oladamola Soares; Career Development Specialist; and Gift Afemekor; Business Consultant.
All of them contributed various points with graphic illustrations that show that purposeful leadership is authentic leadership. They said authentic leadership is not automatic but a deliberate practice and growth.
To come out strong in life, youths were encouraged to believe in themselves, take action, walk the talk, confront their fears, take risks, stand out, be different, and make contribution in their spheres of influence.
Newly elected executive members were also presented to include Noble Wisdom as new state coordinator; Pretty Lady as deputy coordinator, while Solomon Sakawari was made programme officer.
Dr Ejike, the YALI State Hub Coordinator, admonished the new executives to remain steadfast and be committed in their service.
The high point was the award of certificates to the past serving members for their worthy and honest contributions in the past four years in office, and certificate of recognition to Serena Francis as the super woman below age of 30.
Certificates were also awarded to Henry Austine, the 2025 junior chamber international, (JCI) Nigeria, Vice President South-South/ Southeast District 1 and a special recognition for his outstanding impactful service to the group nationally and internationally.
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