As Imesi Ekiti holds youth and community harmony summit to entrench development in the town through full engagement of the youth potentials, a Cleric, Pastor George Oyawoye and a former students’ Activist, Comrade Segun Makinde, have advised the parents not to abandon their parental responsibilities in moulding the future of the young population .
The concerned citizens spoke on Saturday in Imesi Ekiti, during a Youth and Community Harmony Summit, organised by Imesi community, Ayekire Local Government Area and other critical stakeholders to attract development and progress to the town.
The programme recorded a resounding success with an attendance of over 700 participants comprising youths, Federation of Imesi Ekiti students’ Union, artisans, traditional chiefs and residents including Hausa, Gede and Tiv nationalities .
The Summit featured a series of insightful presentations by distinguished guest speakers addressing critical issues affecting youth development, security, drug abuse, community responsibility and infrastructure.
In his contribution at the event, Deacon Oyawoye, emphasized the imperative of parental responsibility in addressing the menace of social vices and called on the community to identify and expose those involved in hard drug plantation and distribution within Imesi.
He advised parents to rise to the responsibility of moulding the characters of their children to ensure that they don’t constitute nuisance to others wherever they find themselves.
” I congratulate our Kabiyesi for hosting this all important youth summit. I know it will yield tremendous dividends. Every youth must embrace discipline and determine to acquire knowledge and skills for a productive lifestyle. Have a dream or vision to run with Proverbs. 29:18. Your vision will drive you towards your goal. Vision enhances your focus.
“Discover your talents and pursue legitimate career by acquiring the correct skills. Crime may look attractive, but it eventually leads to destruction. Understand that success must be worked for. No Labour, no gain. Parents must endeavor to monitor their children’s progress in life and encourage them to be good people in the society.
“Say no to crime and antisocial behavior such as drugs and violence vii. Develop yourself in the use of modern technology.viii. Be knowledge driven. The more you know the more you earn. Society must punish crime and antisocial behaviors to serve as deterrence to others”.
Lending his voice to the topical issues under discussion, a former student union leader, Mr. Segun Makinde, advocated for the strengthening of traditional authority structures, including the restoration of age-grade systems as mechanisms for discipline and social control.
Makinde emphasized the need for youth inclusivity within traditional governance to promote the bond of unity in the society, advising youths not to perceive themselves as pressure grouping, but veritable agents of change that must participate in governance at all levels .
The student leader appealed to the youths to be innovative and always make themselves available while discussing issues that could attract development, saying many of the respectable world leaders started making their marks at youthful age.
Addressing his subjects at the event, the Onimesi of Imesi Ekiti, Oba Olatunhi Olatunde, who is a former commissioner for Works, said the programme was targeted at reducing the incidences of vandalism, drug abuse, and security threats for its productive population to protect the future of the town.
Oba Olatunde promised that no effort will be spared to ensure that the productive youth population is supported to accomplish their objectives and set goals through proper counseling , role modeling concept and community engagement.
Oba Olatunde described the youth as the pivot of development in any nation, state and community, pledging total support for the youth to actualize their dreams, urging them to desist from drug abuse, banditry, insurgency, kidnapping, political thuggery and other criminal tendencies that could derail their future.
In his contribution, the Special Adviser to the Ekiti State Governor on Power, Engr. Philips Atere, addressed concerns on electricity installation vandalism and supply, also clarifying policy issues around prepaid and estimated billing systems, generating significant engagement during the interactive session.
The Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Hon Femi Awe, commended the initiative and conveyed the commitment of the Ekiti State Government under Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji to support community-driven development efforts.
It was a general consensus among Imesi Ekiti community and other stakeholders that the Summit was a major step towards fostering responsible youth engagement, peace, and sustainable development in the town.