KADUNA/Nigeria: In a fervent appeal echoing the concerns of the National Youth Alliance (NYA), Ambassador Aliyu Bin Abbas, the National President of the grassroots movement, has called upon prominent elder statesmen to awaken and take decisive action to avert Nigeria’s descent into a failed state.
This urgent plea was conveyed through a statement released by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Ambassador Abbas, Okpani Jacob Onjewu Dickson, on Tuesday in Kaduna.
Expressing deep apprehension for the future of Nigeria, particularly the well-being of its youth, who constitute a substantial portion of the nation’s over 200 million population, Ambassador Abbas stated, “Recent events are disheartening, leaving us pondering the kind of future that awaits us as young people aspiring for a promising and prosperous Nigeria.”
The NYA, emphasizing its concern, specifically addressed a roster of distinguished elder statesmen, including Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), Senator David Alechenu Mark, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Professor Ango Abdullahi, Chief Edwin Clark, General TY Danjuma (rtd), Alhaji Aliko Dangote, General Zamani Lekwot (rtd), Chief Audu Ogbe, Rt. Honourable Bello Masari, Alhaji Sule Lamido, Rt. Honourable Rotimi Amaechi, General Tukur Buratai (rtd), and others, urging them to rise to the occasion and rescue the nation.
Despite acknowledging Nigeria’s immense potentials, the NYA lamented the difficulty in finding a leader capable of harnessing these potentials due to the self-serving agendas of the political elite, often rooted in ethnicity or regionalism.
The youth movement called on young people nationwide to remain steadfast and optimistic while emphasizing the importance of self-development through skills acquisition to navigate the challenges posed by the current economic uncertainties.
In a bid to foster national unity, the NYA advised both federal and state governments to prioritize initiatives that bring citizens together rather than perpetuating divisions. Additionally, the group recommended the formulation of an economic blueprint tailored to Nigeria’s unique circumstances, aiming to cultivate a domestically-driven economic system with both short and long-term benefits.
