Nigerians youths have been urged to be productively engaged and contribute their mental and moral capability towards building a safer and more just society.
Prof. Ayo Hammed, a Lecturer from the Department of Guidance and Counselling, University of Ibadan, stated this in a lecture entitled ?Challenges facing the Muslim Youths in the 21st Century? delivered at the inauguration of Bodija Muslim Youth Forum (BOMYOF), held in Ibadan on Sunday.
Hammed stressed the need for investment in the youths during the childhood and adolescence, adding that it was the time life-long patterns of behaviour begins.
He highlighted some of the challenges youths face in the country, which includes, lack of parental care, fragile livelihood, sexual abuse, substance abuse, unemployment, poor moral standard, lack of spiritual commitment, abuse of technology, crime and violence and other various challenges affecting youth development.
He called on leaders, parents and other stakeholders, to guide the youths aright productively at this period when the world was technologically advanced.
The varsity don also emphasise that stakeholders should join hands in empowering and strengthening the youths, while also engaging them in policies, programmes and decision-making.
In his words: ?Youths constituted the largest percentage of the world?s population. Currently 62percent of youths live in Asia, while the next proportion of 17 percent lives in Africa.?
The Chairman, Bodija Muslim community, Alhaji Tiamiyu Giwa, in his welcome address, described the inauguration as a dream come true, saying the planning of the forum started in 2006, adding that? ?it was the right time for the establishment, considering the population of youths which was more than half of the country?s population, and were yet to be catered for?.
Giwa maintained further that, ?the most potent stage of life is youth. Aside from God?s spiritual guidance, youths are endowed with energy, health and time. I admonish youths to channel these aright by building their spiritual life, obeying their parents, teachers and elders, likewise the rule and laws of the land? he said.
