Shun religious sentiments for national progress, group urge youths

Shun religious sentiments for national progress, group urge youths
NAN-HG-5
Group
By Sylvester Thompson
Abuja, Jan. 4, 2014 (NAN) A Help and Support Group under the aegis of “Friends and Neighbours’’ has called on Nigerian youths to eschew ethnic and religious sentiments for national unity and progress.
The Chairman of the group, Mr Andem Ekpo-Bassey, made the appeal at the official inauguration of their headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
He reminded youths that the unity of the country cannot be compromised.
Ekpo-Bassey, who is also the National Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE), noted that youths are the foundation upon which the future of Nigeria could be built.
He said that in recent times, Nigerian youths have compromised and tainted their purity through religious and ethnic sentiments which eventually breed bad blood and differences.
Ekpo-Bassey said that the bedrock of every societal ill and differences stems from this contrived attitude which has dominated the minds and heart of Nigerians.
“If this country has to remain united and move forward, youths need to change their approach to life, they need to debunk all the misconceptions associated with religious and ethnic sentiments.
“The Nigerian youth has to be accommodating for acceptability and peaceful co-existence. They have to accept one another in a spirit of love, respect and harmony,’’ Ekpo-Bassey said.
The chairman also charged youths to think for themselves, forge a new path and show personal responsibility, so as to become good leaders of tomorrow.
According to him, “our country is in need of credible leadership which can be sought and found in the Nigerian youth’’.
Mr Anthony Agbonlahor, the group’s legal counsel, also advised Nigerian youths not to depend on the government for the provision of their needs.
He said an average and sane Nigerian youth is “supposed to be creative’’.
He said that times have changed and it was time youths have to create their lives and become employers of labour instead of consistently seeking for government jobs.
“In fact, one of the most important roles of government is the protection of lives and properties.
“It is therefore high time youths shun violence, whether domestic, ethnic, religious or political.
“It is time youths awoke the sleeping giant in them, which is creativity, to make their lives worthwhile,’’ Agbonlahor said.
He said that that the group has members cutting across all religious and ethnic divide with the main objective of fostering unity, peace and progress. (NAN)
SET/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola