Nigerian youths have been exhorted to channel their energy and efforts toward solving problems facing their future – and not just exploring means of making money.
The call was made on Sunday August, 13, 2017 at the 21st edition of the Quality Leadership Values Seminar, organised by Junior Chambers International (JCI).
The seminar which held in Protea Hotel, Ikeja, was targeted at encouraging youth leadership and service to the nation. It was a platform for discussion, counseling and encouraging entrepreneurial traits.
One of the participants, a young man from the audience asked to know how one can convince youths of today to invest their time in community service – when society hails entertainers and gives little or no recognition to those who strive to improve the potentials of the country.
“How would you encourage a youth to see the value in hard work and service to the nation when we know that the winner of Big Brother Nigeria is awarded N25 million while the best graduating medical student is awarded just N10,000?”
To this question, a panelist at the seminar, Mrs. Sola Salako, implored youths to focus on solving problems and serving humanity and not pursuing money and fame. Life, she counseled, is meaningless if you do not live to serve the purpose for which you were created.
Though she acknowledged that society today glorifies entertainment and fame, Mrs. Salako noted that in the end, people who strive to solve pertinent problems – like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr, would be recognised by everyone in the end.
“Never allow money to be your main focus as you set out to pursue your goals. If you set out to serve a purpose or solve problems, your result would be money, fame, respect and much more. But if your priority is to make money first, your results would most likely be problems and even if you have the money, you may not get satisfaction from it,” she warned and further advised all youths to pray so that the Almighty God would inspire them to know their purpose.
“When you find out your purpose and set out to achieve it, a way will be automatically shown to you,” she assured.
At a press briefing after the event, the President of JCI, Ikeja, Mr. Femi Alagbala Davis, stated that this event was convened to serve as a platform to talk about leadership. “The more we discuss our problems, the more we can find solutions and enhance our leadership skills,” he said.
In his contribution, JCI Senator, Mr. Olumide Ajomale explained that this event comes to address the issues of political, business and social leadership which seem to have taken leave from the country. He expressed hope that this seminar would provide insight into how this anomaly can be rectified.
“Time is running out, Nigeria! Here is the chance for young people to right the wrongs and it can be done by just living with Quality Leadership values,” he enjoined.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cable Newspaper Ltd, Mr. Simon Kolawole who also spoke on the platform, expressed hope that youths will draw from values discussed today to think more deeply about how they can serve the nation better
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