Igbodo Kingdom in Ika North East LGA of Delta State, on Friday November 17, 2017, held her maiden Igbodo Youth Leadership Development Summit.
Based on the daily increase in the number of youths dying in the Mediterranean Sea in search of greener pastures, coupled with those getting derailed or frustrated with life, because of inadequate career guidance and social support, the Igbodo Development Union (IDU), put together a Youth Leadership Development Summit to inspire the youths to know that there are opportunities here in Nigeria that will make them successful in life.
The Summit which has as the theme; “Why Consider Greener Pasture Outside the Country, When There Are Endless Opportunities in Nigeria?” was held at Comprehensive High School Igbodo ultra modern school hall; with participants of secondary school students from Igbodo and six other neighbouring communities, who were between the ages of thirteen and nineteen years.
Different young and indigenous resource persons shared their success stories encouraging the youths and students to believe in hardwork and dedication, along with their faith and dream.
In his address at the occasion, the Commission for Basic and Secondary Education Delta State, Barrister Chiedu Ebie, commended the Igbodo Development Union for the summit which is geared towards changing the mindset of the youths in looking for greener pastures outside the country, emphasizing that formal education is the key to success.
Speaking further, Barr. Chiedu Ebie stated that the Delta State government has promised to continue to support and encourage communities whose activities are geared towards peace, progress and good governance in the state. Continuing, he noted that good orientation and attitudinal change were needed to move the state forward. Describing the ceremony as an “Excellent Assembly,” the commissioner told the participants, that hard work and self discipline required in their determination to make it in life. He assured the management of Comprehensive High School, Igbodo, that infrastructural challenges faced by the school would receive attention in the 2018 budget of the state government.
In their separate addresses, HRM Obi (Barr.) Ikechukwu Nkeobikwu Osedume I, the Obi of Igbodo Kingdom, Deacon Matthew Okwaje, the President-General, of IDU Worldwide and Mr. Joe Mbulu, a major facilitator of the program, said that the summit was borne out of the desire to see the younger ones achieve success in life, noting that over the years, there have been an increasing number of youths derailing largely because of inadequate career guidance and social support.
The trio, challenged the students and youths to think great, take the right step at the right time and never neglect solid opportunities in Nigeria, in their quest to travel abroad; explaining that many had ended up in horrifying stories, including losses, hardship, disappointments, abuse and deportations.
They reassured the participants that they can make it in Nigeria through personal responsibility, despite the challenges that seem to be over whelming.
Some of the resource persons at the summit include; The Executive Director, Aspilos Foundation, Miss Simi Olusola and Twenty Nine years old Mr. Kelvin Ogholi, of Farmers Health Plus; who in their presentations challenged the students to take their personal vision seriously and make good use of the opportunities provided by the summit.
In a chat with Ika Weekly Newspaper reporters some of the students who attended the summit, which included; Joy Onem, Simeon Jasper and Okonkwo Maduemezia, thanked the organizers for the summit, which they described as an eye opener, saying that the way of thinking of most of them have changed after listening to the life experiences of the resource persons.
The epoch making event which was attended by over one thousand students and some stakeholders in the Igbodo development project, featured question and answer session, dancing competition as well as presentation of certificate of participation, to all the participants.
IGBODO KINGDOM HOLDS MAIDEN YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
