Some stakeholders in Badagry on Tuesday lauded President Bola Tinubu on his plans to convene a National Youth Conference to address issues affecting the youth.

They made the commendation in separate interviews with journalists in Badagry on Tuesday.

Mr Tinubu, in his Independent Day broadcast on Tuesday, said his administration would convene a National Youth Conference to address the diverse challenges confronting the youths.

Mr Tinubu said the conference would provoke meaningful dialogue and empower young people, who constituted more than 60 per cent of the population.

He said that the 30-day Confab would unite young people nationwide to collaboratively develop solutions to issues such as education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice.

Chairman, Badagry Local Government, Olusegun Onilude, said that every congregation of discourse was good.

“Much more good is the congregation of youths. They are the leaders of tomorrow. Therefore, engaging them in discussions will be a great idea. I can only wish for something good to come out of it,” he said.

The lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency in Lagos State House of Assembly, Bonu Solomin, said he believed in President Tinubu’s policies.

According to him, very soon Nigeria will change for the better.

General Secretary, IBILE Forum, Lagos, Sunday Ayedogbon, said that the announcement of the conference was a significant move to tackle the challenges facing young people.

“Our youths are likely to welcome this initiative, seeing it as a platform to voice their concerns, share ideas, and contribute to shaping their future. By convening a National Youth Conference, President Tinubu has demonstrated his commitment to empowering Nigerian youths and harnessing their potential for national growth. The conference’s success will depend on inclusive representation, constructive dialogue, and tangible outcomes addressing the challenges and opportunities facing young Nigerians,” he said.

Medical Director, General Hospital, Badagry, Olatunde Bakare, said the proposed conference was good and laudable

He stated, “The youth are the future of a country and the country actually belongs to them. President Tinubu is doing everything to tap into the energy, ideas and initiatives of the youths.’’

Also, a tourist expert, Babatunde Ajose, said by engaging youth in a discourse, they could come out with a new culture, blueprint or policy.

He added, “This can result in a new spirit that promotes excellence, merit, hardwork, new technologies, as well as teach them how developed nations were brought from the brink of collapse to a state of massive development.

“So, the youth conference is good and long overdue; it should not just be a talk show, but one whose outcomes  will be carried out by policy-makers from the three arms of government for the good of our young adults.’’

In his contribution, Publisher, South South Magazine, Ovie Edomi, said that the conference must include youths from the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

“This must be a serious talk show that can produce a road map for our teeming youths.  We need to stimulate growth by galvanising our young adults, who constitute 60 per cent of our population,” he said. 

(NAN)