Kunle Adelabu
-Charges new officers to see position as call to service
The new Chairman of the Lagos State branch of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Olalekan Biliamin Sulaimon Oba, on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, inaugurated the newly elected executive members of the Ikorodu Local Government chapter of the council.
At the ceremony, which held at the Ikorodu Local Government Secretariat hall, the new Coordinator, Comrade Idris Omotayo Fatai, Deputy Coordinator, Comrade Awolesi Omolara I, General Secretary, Mabunmi Omotayo Tosin and Assistant General Secretary, Olorunnimbe Islamiat, who were elected on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, via a bye – election, took their oath of office under the supervision of Comrade Oba and other new executives of the State’s NYCN chapter.
Comrade Oba recently resigned his position as the Coordinator of Ikorodu NYCN chapter after his emergence as the State Chairman of the umbrella body of all youth associations in the State. This allowed for the bye – election which produced his former Deputy Coordinator who had also been acting as Coordinator to emerge the substantive Co – ordinator.
Other members of the newly inaugurated Ikorodu Local government NYCN executive council elected earlier in the year were Abdul-Waheed Fatuga (Public Relations Officer), Afinju Ibrahim(Social Secretary), Adebola Adeoye (Financial Secretary), Odufeko Tolulope (Auditor) and Alabi Abdul-Fatai (Treasurer).
Speaking during the inauguration, Comrade Oba said that the new executives of the NYCN at the state are ready to serve the youths in the State while he also solicited support from the local chapters.
“This administration is coming in to diligently serve the youths all over the state but there is no way we can do this without the support of active youth groups in our local governments and other youth groups”, he said.
“We are going to be executing our programmes through our local chapters across the State”.
He charged the new executive members in Ikorodu to see their elections as a call to service.
“This is a clarion call on the new executives in Ikorodu local government to champion the course of the youths”, Oba said.
“We should consider it as a rare privilege. You should all see your elections as a call to service. You are elected not because you are the best but to represent millions of youths and chart the course for development.
“Electioneering has come and gone, it is now time to work, work and work. You must do everything to represent the youths very well”.
He said that certificates would not only be issued to the four newly elected officers that were elected through bye – election due to his resignation after his recent emergence as State Chairman of NYCN, but also other executives elected earlier in the year.
“We would not only issue certificates to the four newly elected excos but also other new officers of this chapter that were elected earlier in the year”.
He stated that NYCN excos at the local government levels will henceforth sign copies of their certificates for record keeping at the State Secretariat to address the issue of controversies in terms of offices.
“Henceforth, we have resolved at the State level that elected officials at the State and Council levels will have to sign copies of their return certificates which will be with our secretariat. This is to address the controversies that the NYCN has been experiencing regarding the date of elections and termination of tenure of offices across the State” Oba said.
“On the certificates, dates that an elected officer is duly elected and when his/her office tenure would terminate are enshrined. With this, we are hoping that the controversies regarding assumption and end of office will be permanently addressed” he added.
Oba enjoined members of the Ikorodu NYCN chapter to come up with initiatives and programmes that would bring about development of the youths.
He thanked the council chairman for honouring the ceremony despite short notice.
Oba also charged the council chairman to assist the local chapter with office space and bus for official activities.
He stated that the current youth council is not an ‘agbero ‘ body but an intellectually inclined group that is ready to partner with the government to achieve good governance .
Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, speaking at the event, welcomed the state exco of the NYCN to Ikorodu which he described as the home of the State NYCN Chairman.
He told the gathering that he too started as an active participant in youth activities along with many others in Apapa.
“You should continue to use youth council to develop yourself and other youths and disengage yourself from the acts of violence like cultism and gangterism”, Hon. Adeshina charged the new excos.
“The youths form over 60% of the country’s population and should start turning things around by actively engaging in community activities.
“The NYCN was set up to engage the youths , find solutions to problems affecting them and when they cannot resolve on issues, they should contact the government”.
Hon. Adeshina offered to assist and partner with the youth group in achieving its aims.
“I will partner with you and assist you in achieving your aims and objectives. I will be doing developmental projects with you”, he assured Ikorodu youths.
Other NYCN State executives that graced the occasion were: General Secretary, Comrade Agbaje Abdulhakeem .O. (West Senatorial District), Public Relations Officer, Comrade Ajayi Abiodun Mandate (West Senatorial District), Legal Adviser – Comrade Akinyemi Rafiat Omolola (West Senatorial District), Assistant General Secretary, Comrade Amida Nurudeen Adewale (Central Senatorial District) and the Assistant Public Relations Officer – Comrade Sulaimon Kamaldeen A. Olore ( Central Senatorial District).
