A group of Nigerian youths under the aegis of REALERS Initiatives has brought the issues of social vices confronting the youths to the front burner, in commemoration of this year’s Int’l Youth Day.
To drive home the message, the group led hundreds of Ikorodu youths on a major awareness walk from Ikorodu garage round-about through Sagamu road, down to the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu Campus, where major stakeholders drawn from all walks of life were mobilised to discuss the panacea to the challenges of social vices confronting the youths.
Facilitators and Panelists at the Youth Summit, tagged Digital Age; a Minacious Impact did good justice to the commemorative theme to the admiration of all participating youths.
Addressing the participants, Co- Convener of Realers Initiative, Mr Mike Ibikunle noted that, ‘This walk and summit is meant to draw everyone’s attention to a set of cultural, developmental and legal issues surrounding youth. The first of its kind was observed on the 12th of August 2000. The International Youth Day is always observed annually throughout the world and it does create opportunities for the government, development agencies and other concerned organisation to draw attention to youth issues worldwide’.
He added that the youth summit was organised in partnership with his Co-Convener, Ayanfeoluwa Oshineye to call the attention of children, teens and youths to the issues that concerns them and empower them with the ability to create lasting positive changes in their own lives and in the society at large.
Discussants profered practical solutions needed to curb social vices such as cyber-crime, rape, alcoholism, kidnapping, cultism and drug abuse among other social vices confronting contemporary youths.
One of the facilitators, an international certified addiction professional and clinical social worker, Mr Peter Adenibuyan, counseled participating youths to desist from substance usage and abuse as it is inimical to their lives.
‘Smoking, drinking alcohol and substance abuse doesn’t only devalue your reputation, it also ruins your focus. It has actually played crucial part in long-term depression, failing health and career failures. It starts like a mere leisure but ends up in addiction for a lot of youths’, he said.
The summit climaxed with live interaction between the participanting youths and discussants.
Some of the guests that graced the event were; Mr Enitan Olukotun (Special Adviser to Senator Tokunbo Abiru on Media) the Rector Lagos State polytechnic, Dr Oluremi Olaleye Nurudeen, who was represented by Mr Arigbabu Ebole, and Mr Rotimi Erogbogbo (Chairman Ikorodu Oga Development Association IKODASS).
