PUSH NEWS 24 INTERNATIONAL: May 14, 2022
NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL IS NON-PARTISAN AND NON-POLITICAL – A CONCERN CITIZEN CALL-OUT LAGOS STATE CHAIRMAN
A concern citizen and youth re-orientation advocate, Prince Olamilekan Ojo Martins (Mnipr) has called out the Lagos State Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Lekan Biliamin Oba over what he described as the continuous violation of his oath of office in ensuring that the NYCN under his leadership remains apolitical and non-partisan.
The public affairs analyst in a recent viral video stated that the Lagos State Chairman has been seen regularly and publicly canvassing and campaigning for aspirants of one of the political parties (evidence witheld) and further attending their events and accepting responsibilities to the effect, which in the real sense have created mixed reactions from members of the public and other youths stakeholders.
“The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) which was established in 1964 is charged with policy formulation and implementation on issues bordering on youth development in Nigeria and as the umbrella body and the mouthpiece of the Nigerian Youth it is responsible for protecting the diverse interest of its members which cut across tribes, faith, creed and political inclinations, and as such its uncalled for, for the President or any of the Chapter Chairmen to throw caution to the wind by hob-nobbing with a particular political party to the detriment of other members affiliations” Martins said.
He further stated that several chapters have been indulging in similar practices which is against the spirit and letters of the legal recognition given to the youth body in 1990.
“While there is no express clause that prevents the leadership of the NYCN at all levels from directly and personally expressing their political preferences the moral burden of leadership and the extant laws recognizing the NYCN as apolitical behooves caution on the youth body”
According to the erstwhile youth leader, the NYCN which is also affiliated to the world Assembly of Youth, Pan-African Youth Union in its affiliation charters accepted to the creed to remain apolitical, hence, those at the leadership level of the youth body despite possessing individual rights to participate in political activities such rights become subjective to the larger interest of the youth body.
“As the leader you cannot completely separate yourself and personal activities from the group you lead as your personae and office draws inferences from your position, hence, the conflict”
“Personally, I have made efforts to discuss the dangers of tilting against the tide with the concerned but it was taken as a stroll-in-the-park and that is why I am calling on the President of the NYCN, Amb. Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo and the supervisory body, the Ministry for Youths and Sports development to quickly order-into-line activities of the leadership of the Chapters so as to avoid a derail from the expected practices and standards of the NYCN” he added.
While acknowledging over the years the various roles of the NYCN in providing a chart-way for the development, emancipation and socio-political advancement of the youths in Nigeria, Prince Ojo Martins advise that youths can only make meaningful change to the society if they continuously remain guided and follow the rules of engagements to the latter.
The Public Relations practitioner further stressed that a situation where the NYCN logo adorns political party poster or the issuance of public statements to such extent will only relegate the youth body as a portfolio of political desperados who will on a long run lower the value standards of the body.
“NYCN is expected to work seamlessly with any government in power regardless of the political affiliations thereby ensuring active mobilization of the youth for social and development activities at all levels of government; and the collective matrimony is to secure for the youths befitting channels of resounding voices that is notable across the Country” he said.
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