Ahead of the 2023 general elections, a Professor, Dr Joseph Afe Omokhagbo, has counselled youths to eschew violence and avoid being tools in the hands of politicians to wreck havoc.
Omokhagbo, made the call after being decorated with his Honorary Doctorate Degree from the Prowest University USA during the 11th National Mentoring and Coaching conference, with the theme: “Advancing Mentoring Sustainability Through National Inclusion and Leadership Development,” organised by the Chartered Institute of Mentoring and Coaching Nigeria, CIMCN, in Abuja yesterday.
According to him, “My advice to the Nigerian youths as we approach the 2023 elections is that they should eschew violence. Election will come and go, they need to know that we are all together as brothers and friends. After the elections what happens? So we must not take to violence, we must not do a do or die politics.
“Also, my call to INEC is to stand firm, conduct a free and fair election for Nigerians, so that we can move forward. A free, fair and credible elections will bring development and peace to the land. But the moment you start wavering, of course, people will react.”
He further highlighted coaching and mentoring as key tools in grooming youths so that they could become better people and leaders of the world and nation.
He said, “It is very key in Nigeria today that there should be mentorship and coaching, more people need to be mentored. The recent occurrence of people jumping into lagoons and want to take their lives, it’s because they are overwhelmed by the societal happenings.
“So when you have the young ones mentored, you can be sure that the future is secured because they will receive the required training for the development of themselves and the society.”
In the same vein, President of CIMCN, Dr Clement Obadimu, said that the 2023 general elections was a decisive moment for Nigeria and that politicians should remember that they owe Nigerians delivery on good governance.
Obadimu, who was represented by Rev. Oluwarotimi Abraham, said, “Our politicians should remember that they owe Nigerians delivery and good governance, without them delivering on this, we are not giving good posterity to the future.
“I would give advice in three tiers concerning the 2023 general elections, first and foremost to the populace, we should be able to at this point sit down and ask ourselves an important question, what kind of country do we want and how can we get the desired nation we want, that question will help us to decide on our votes.
“Secondly to those aspiring for whatever position in the 2023 election, they should ask themselves what kind of legacy do they want to put down in the office, why are they vying and then they should ask themselves if their conscience can come to play as their own accountability officer.
“Finally to INEC, they are the ones that hold the equilibrium for Nigeria when it comes to electoral decision. INEC needs to stand up to their responsibility and ensure they deliver to Nigeria the expectations that we all have of a better tomorrow for our nation.”
On leadership, the Director, Reality Services, Abubakar Wambai, said, “The promotion of leadership for sustainable development, in my opinion has to be non-successional, that means differently we all have to come together and appreciate that we have a common goal and this is our short term, medium and long term goal for the collective interest of Nigeria.
“So that goal is just our religious book, so that any individual or organisation, has a blueprint to follow foe the success of achievement of our activities in Nigeria.”