By Idris Umar, Zaria The Arewa Youth Development Association has called on governments, traditional rulers, community leaders, p...
By Idris Umar, Zaria
The Arewa Youth Development Association has called on governments, traditional rulers, community leaders, parents and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to tackle the growing challenges facing young people in Northern Nigeria.
The association identified drug abuse, substance addiction, unemployment and the lack of meaningful opportunities as major threats to the future of youths in the region.
The call was made during an event organised by the association at Government Secondary School, Zaria, where members and representatives from different parts of Nigeria gathered to discuss youth development, unity and the future of Northern Nigeria.
In his welcome address, the National Chairman of the association, Alhaji Abdulkadir Sani Musa, said the situation confronting young people required urgent and sustained intervention.
He urged stakeholders to intensify efforts to educate youths on the dangers of smoking, drug abuse and other activities capable of undermining their future.
According to him, the association has members across between 15 and 19 states of the country and was established to promote unity, development and responsible leadership among young people.
He said the organisation also provides a platform for identifying the challenges confronting youths and working towards finding sustainable solutions.
Sani Musa appealed to governments, philanthropists, wealthy individuals, corporate organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians to support the association’s programmes aimed at improving the lives of young people and raising awareness about issues affecting them.
Also speaking, the member representing Zaria Constituency in the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Hon. Mahmud Lawal Ismail, who was represented by the Commissioner of Agriculture for Zaria Local Government, Nuhu Dogara Malami, described the association as an important platform for youth development.
He commended the organisation for bringing Muslims and Christians together under a common objective, noting that such initiatives were important for promoting peaceful coexistence, unity and responsible citizenship.
The Kaduna State Chairman of the association, Alhaji Dalhatu Tanko, described youths as leaders of tomorrow and stressed that parents, governments, community leaders and organisations must work together to provide them with proper guidance and opportunities.
Tanko also expressed condolences to the families of youths who lost their lives in Niger State, while appealing to the Niger State Government to provide immediate support and appropriate compensation to the victims’ families.
Similarly, Comrade Abubakar Hassan Sa’id said the association had recorded significant achievements less than one year after its establishment.
He said the organisation had visited traditional rulers and other respected personalities to introduce its activities and explain its programmes aimed at improving the wellbeing of young people.
A women’s representative at the event, Hauwa Abubakar, urged mothers and women to pay greater attention to the upbringing of their children.
She emphasised the need to instil discipline, good morals and a sense of responsibility in children from an early age, saying proper upbringing remained essential to preventing young people from engaging in destructive activities.
The event also featured the presentation of certificates to members from different parts of the country, the inauguration of newly appointed leaders, and the presentation of gifts and other forms of support to schoolchildren and orphans.
The gathering brought together members and representatives of the Arewa Youth Development Association from various parts of Nigeria, as well as community leaders and other stakeholders.
Discussions at the event focused on youth empowerment, moral development, peaceful coexistence, prevention of drug abuse and the socio-economic development of Northern Nigeria.
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