By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
An Islamic Scholar,Mal. Zakariya zakk Abubakr Aliyu,.has appealed to international donors to do more, in terns of providing jobs for a lot of jobless youths in Nigeria in order to reduce poverty and youth related crises in the country.
He made the call on Monday in Lokoja while contrubuting to discussion at “Ewer Response Plan/Structure Engagement for CMMRC/CPO & Media, organised by Interfaith Mediation Centre,an NGO based in Kaduna.
He said experience had shown that substantial per cent of youths that indulged in crime or used by politicians, as thugs, were youths,who after their educatuon at the higher institution of learning, remained jobless or those from poverty striking homes
Aliyu, who is also a member of Ulama council in kogi state,described unemployment and poverty as the biggest factors responsible for most of the crises and the resultant violence in many cases in the country.
He said besides the urge to the international donors to help the country in that regards, Nigerians, particularly parents, irrespective of political affiliation and religious inclination, must act as ambassadors of peace, starting from the home and as well be exemplary in conduct to their children and other youths.
“Parents as well need to be exemplary in their conduct by preaching and practising peace in their deeds and interaction with other members of the society,” he stressed.
He was, however, optimistic that with prayers and the citizens shunning corrupt tendencies that slowed the process of development, Nigeia would overcome many of its myriad social, economic and political challenges.
In her remarks, Mrs Anna Olarewaju of WOWICAN,Kogi State, called on Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness, to give peace a chance.
“There is no way a country of multi ethnic nationality and different religious beliefs, such as Nigeria, can exist without conflict, but when happens, it becomes incumbent on the people to forgive one another and let peace take centre stage, for the nation to witness the desired development,” she said.
In an interview with the Correspondent of The Reporters after the exercise, the coordinator, Action Network,Mr Samson Auta, stressed the need for the people to identify indicators of conflict early and report same to the relevant authorities to nip them in the bud before they get out of control.
He said:” When crisis is allowed, it affects lives and property, interns of destruction.
“Therefore,the main reason of organising this event is for those structures we have empowered with necessary capacity for the past three years, is for us to know how far they are prepared to use the knowledge acquired in reducingtide of conflicts such as thuggery that usually characterise elections in the country.
“If there is reduction in negative incidences, people will live in peace and conduct their businesses lawfully and the nation will witness great development ”
He urged youths to resist the lure by politicians to use them as agents of destruction for selfish ends,before,during and after electÃons.
According to him, the programme,funded by USAID, is being implemented in six states and in about 96 communities across: kogi, kaduna, Katsina, Kano Benue and Plateau, adding it started in 2019 and expected to end in 2024.
The participants in their reactions, commended the organizer and USAID for impacting them with knowledge that would enable them contrubute their qouta to peace, especially during 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
Our Correspondent reports that representatives of many communities in the state among others, attended the event.
