Scholars have advocated for the inclusion of youths in any form of analysis and intervention towards the speedy recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the implementation of policies for peaceful and sustainable growth.
The scholars, who were panellists at a discussion, organised by the Postgraduate students Association of the Department of Peace, Security and Humanitarian Studies of the University of Ibadan, as part of the activities organized to celebrate the International Day of Peace 2021, included Professor Isaac Olawale Alber, Bobola Omowon, Dr Bolaji Ahmed and Dr Oladejo.
Professor Olawale Albert, an international peace scholar and Professor at the Faculty of the Humanitarian Studies University of Ibadan, posited that young people should key into programmes of the World Health Organization (WHO) and other agencies of the United Nations toward achieving SDG 2030 which aims at making Nigeria an eldorado.
Omowon, a public affairs analyst, said the youth should be more proactive and involved in activities that would enhance the growth and development of Nigeria.
According to him, “Youths should not just sit down and play a dormant role in nation-building and politics but they should strive and join in the struggle for power and make judicious use of the opportunities to develop the future they wanted.
Omowon, who also harped on the need to reorientate Nigerians and educate them on what to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, said there is a need to build an institution. He said, “irrespective of handlers, a strong institution will work.”
Dr Oladejo, a lecturer at the Department said “There is an inherent talent in African youths. They are creative and strong but they are not channelling their energy towards the development of their nation.”
On the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Oladejo said, “Most African countries are not prepared for the pandemic as their health sectors and disaster management system was not strong enough to face such challenges and they were still not enough to tackle any outbreak.
A medical practitioner, Dr Ahmed Bolaji, while speaking on recovery from COVID-19 said “there is a need for the government to promote and encourage preventive medicine to avoid a total breakdown.”
He explained that “preventive medicine will reduce the effect of the outbreak and spread of any diseases that may surface at any time in the country.”
Earlier in her paper, Titi Gbadamosi, said “citizens should not only vote during elections, but they should also be watchdogs on government policies. Youth should be more responsible as a formidable nation and civil society organisations should ensure transparency, accountability and proper implementation of policies that would encourage development.”
Meanwhile, on Monday, the students, lecturers and management staff of the Department of Peace, Security and Humanitarian Studies of the premier university staged a peace advocacy rally on the campus to sensitise the youths on the need to ensure peace and harmony in the department.
The walk had Professor Tajudeen Akanji; former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Chief Adeyemo Moses Alake; former Head of Service, Chief Soji Eniade; Dr Ruth Adio Moses; Dr Oladejo and the Special Adviser to the Governor of Oyo State on Student Affairs and Sports Development, Hon. Victor Olojede, among others.
The chairman of the programme, Honourable Asimiyu Alarape and President of the Association, Comrade Michael Adebisi, commended the management, lecturers and students of the Department for their corporation and support towards the success of the programme.
The program also featured a presentation of the poem, games among others
