YOUTHVILLE ISSUE #165
Friday, January 12, 2018
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youthville@dailytrust.com
...young at heart
‘Social media to blame for poor writing culture among youth’
Bizum Yadok, is a teacher at the Federal College of Education, Pankshin in Plateau State. He is also an author and a youth empowerment advocate. In this interview, he spoke about how the social media has eroded the once rich writing culture of Nigerian youth. From Dickson S. Adama, Jos
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hat inspired you to become a writer? Growing up as a child, I was exposed to different literatures so I acquired an unquenchable thirst for books, especially fiction, but then I had never tried my hands in writing until I became an adolescent. I was also inspired to be a writer by other writers and the paucity of literary materials from my society also motivated me to pick my pen and creatively document our socio-cultural experience, at least from my perspective. I used to read fantastic stories by Chinua Achebe, Cyprian Ekwensi, Sidney Sheldon, and John Grisham (my favourite). How would you score writing among the youth today? Many youth today are eager to be labelled as writers and some even dare to include it on their social media profiles. Yet they have nothing to show for it. The key to better writing is reading vastly. Sadly, most Nigerian youth happen to be short-distance readers. This partly accounts for the enormous time they spend on social media reading brief posts a n d writing short ones and then
calling themselves writers. Many youth are into writing, but only few are sophisticated and doing exceptionally well. These exceptional cases are our consolation. Nonetheless, in a scale of 1 to 10, I will give writing among youth in Nigeria 4 point score. How can good writing skills be revived in Nigeria? I think it is easier to stimulate reading among youth than writing. I say so because reading, like listening, does not require any peculiar skill aside the basics. However, writing, like speaking, requires talent in addition to the skill. That is why everyone can talk, but not everyone is an orator. Likewise, everyone can write, but not everyone is a writer. However, what you can do is to help them explore their gifts and the ones who are called to become writers will follow the path to their destiny. For the avoidance of doubt, writing is an art; just like music, visual arts and dancing. Therefore, unless someone is innately endowed with the skill, including a good measure of zeal, he/she would not succeed at it. y How has your works affected lives? I will tell you about my works, but the impact is not really for me to determine. I released King of the Jungle (a novel) and Echoes of the Plateau (a collection of poems) simultaneously on the 5th of December, 2014. Many people have walked up to me to say that my novel has inspired a poem, play, song or something in them. I thank God because I didn’t know my writing will be warmly accepted at home and abroad. Do you think books authored by young writers can enhance youth empowerment? Certainly! No one
What needs to be done is just to find ways to stimulate those youth to read and their behaviour can certainly be modified. I believe in the popular saying that ‘you are what you read understands the youth of today better than themselves. I strongly believe that the certain trends and vices such as drug abuse, prostitution and violence can be aggressively reversed through writing. What needs to be done is just to find ways to stimulate those youth to read and their behaviour can certainly be modified. I believe in the popular saying that ‘you are y read’. what you For instance, i I am currently spearhe spearheading a team, Plateau Authors Group (PLAG), on an antholog project. We collected anthology a are about to go to press. stories and b This is because we strongly feel that writ our writings can foster peace and instigate meaningful development. a the young authors that Who are y inspire you? f The first on my list should be Ch Dike Chukwumerije. He always has his signature on his writings. I bet I could c tell if a ghost writer imperso impersonates him. Next would Abub be Abubakar Adam Ibrahim; his writing seems to glide seamlessly. Abidemi Sanusi, Helon Habila, Doug Kaze, Su’eddie Agema, Lengsha Gomwalk, Richard Ali, Lengshak Kh Toni Khan, Saddiq Dzukogi and Ahmed Maiwada all inspire me the works. with their What is your advice to upcoming authors authors? Read, read, read and read. And wri That is how to become then write. a good writer/author. Also delay publis publishing a bit to ensure you ha have quality stuff that can stand you on a sound literary footings before you attempt publishing your book or writings as the case might be.
Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art - Andy Warhol
Kano’s youth directorate head gets excellence award From Ibrahim Musa Giginyu, Kano The National Association of Kano State Students (NAKSS) has awarded the Director General Directorate of youth development and economic empowerment Kano state Alhaji Ado Abba Tudun-Wada, the award of excellence as advocate of youth and educational development in the state. Presenting the award to him, NAKSS national president, Comrade Ali Maikasuwa Rano said the award given to Alhaji Tudun-Wada by the association is in recognition of his immense contribution towards the educational development of youths in the state adding that, Kano youth have never had it better than this time when the DG is heading the directorate. “I need not to tell you what the youth of Kano state have so far achieved in the educational sector during the reign of the DG, and this award is a way of saying thank you from NAKSS for being there for Kano state students,” said NAKSS’s national president. Receiving the award, the DG stated that the directorate has done a lot in areas of youth empowerment and other related issues in respect to youth development adding that the success so far recorded by the directorate was as a result of the state government’s commitment under Governor Ganduje’s administration of ensuring viable and productive youths in the state.
NOA urges youth to venture into poultry business By Latifat Opoola LatifatOpoola
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The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) are in a partnership to encourage Nigerian youth to go into poultry business as a preferred alternative to white collar jobs and to meet national policy of an egg a day for the Nigerian child. The Director- General of NOA, Dr. Garba Abari and the President of the PAN, Ezekiel Ibrahim formalized the partnership at the Agency’s headquarters during the week, in Abuja, a statement by the agency said. Abari noted that the partnership will help to encourage the teeming unemployed youth “which constitute 60 per cent of our population” to go into livestock production. He said the
promotion of poultry farming as a business will dissuade youths from entering paid employment which is “not even available now”, instead promote a diversification of the economy to broaden foreign exchange earnings. Abari further noted that NOA is a willing partner in the task of creating awareness on agriculture policy of the present administration adding that it has already started the campaign of promoting the ”Eat What You Grow and Grow What You Eat “ and the patronage of Made in Nigeria goods for national development. The President of PAN while speaking earlier said poultry production should be encouraged among Nigerians especially the youth which will also serve as income earnings and reduce unemployment y in the country.
DAILY TRUST, Friday, January 12, 2018
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YOUTHVILLE
Kogi to engage 100,000 youth in Movie: Funke ‘Jenifa’ crops value chain — Commissioner cast in Hollywood’s ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ The Kogi Government said it will engage over 100,000 youths in various crops value chains under its Accelerated Agricultural Production programme this year. The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Kehinde Oloruntoba, said this at a ministerial media briefing in Lokoja last Wednesday. The briefing was organised by the Bureau of Information Services and Grassroots Sensitisation, in collaboration with the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). Oloruntoba listed various agricultural programmes of the state government, saying they all were aimed at attaining food sufficiency, economic diversification and agribusiness policy thrust of the Federal Government. “Over 100,000 youth are to be fully engaged in various aspects of agriculture. It is against this
backdrop that the allocation to Agriculture in this year’s budget was increased to N9 billion from N7.9bn in 2017,” he said. He said the state would launch its ‘Confluence Fish’ brand within six months, saying that the fish would be grown and packaged in the state for the Nigerian market. “We have abundant water resources and we have decided to start exploiting these resources. 1,000 youth would be engaged as fish farmers with 1,000 earthen ponds. The commissioner said the state had started the domestication of the Federal Government’s Agriculture Sector Food Security and Nutrition Strategy (ASFSN), as part of efforts to fast-track nutrition-sensitive agricultural practice. Another set of 1,000 youth would be empowered to engage in vegetable farming, he hinted. [NAN]
By Simon E. Sunday @SimonEchewofun
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ollywood actress Funke AkindeleBello, has been listed among the cast in the upcoming Marvel movie, “Avengers: Infinity War.” A movie database website owned by Amazon, IMDb revealed that Funke known as ‘Jenifa’ and famous for her ‘Jenifa’s Diary’ TV series in Nollywood will play a member of the Black Panther’s guards, the Dora Milaje Wakanda’s all-female Special Forces unit from the Black Panther comics.
The movie, Avengers: eduled for Infinity War is scheduled 018 while release on May 4, 2018 d for May a sequel is planned 3, 2019, it said. Here TV series emerged from her movie,, `Jenifa’. melight She came to limelight after featuring in popular United Nations Population Fund nsored (UNFPA) sponsored Know, sitcom; I Need to Know, 98 to which ran from 1998 gency of 2002, the News Agency orted. Nigeria (NAN) reported. In 2009, she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Ex-BBNaija 2017 Housemate, Firm hosts youth summit Kemen to start fitness TV show By Simon E. Sunday @SimonEchewofun
on wealth creation From Nurudeen Oyewole, Lagos Forever Living Products Nigeria, a health servicing firm has hosted a four-day summit for Nigerian youths on wealth creation. At the opening of the programme in Lagos, the Country Sales Manager, Mr Daniel Ikechukwu said it was to help create healthier and higher quality of life for Nigerian youth. With the theme: Forever Youth Summit: Building for the future, the firm urged the participants to take charge of their lives. “They must take charge of their lives and be involved in actions that will transform their beliefs, values, attitude and finances,” Ikechukwu said. In his remarks, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Coscharis Group, Dr. Cosmas Maduka, told the youth that there is no limit to the extent of their aspirations.
“If anybody had reason not to succeed, the person is me. If anybody had reason to blame God for failing, it should be me. Belief is one of the most important things in my life. Believe in yourself and believe in God. Believe truly that hard work opens the good life,” he said. The Managing Director of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Mr Tony Attah shared his grass to grace history with the youth. “Mine was a humble beginning. I lost my father at age four. I had to withdraw from school at Primary III at age seven. I hawked akara to contribute to the up keep of my family. “I later came to Lagos and became apprentice in an auto shop to a senior uncle. My life however changed after participating in an aptitude once written in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’ Ivoire,” he narrated his experience.
Ex-BBNaija 2017 Housemate, Ekemini Ekerete, a.k.a Kemen, has plans to start his wellness and fitness television show on healthy living. Kemen who spoke in Abuja with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said, “It is going to be a 30 minute workout session with me
every morning from Monday to Friday. “It is basically going to give the viewers that cannot go to the gym an opportunity to walkout in front of their TV set,” he revealed. The fitness entrepreneur said his intention was to raise awareness for fitness and health to a point where the whole nation will accept it as lifestyle. He said “Fitness is supposed to be a lifestyle, bearing in mind that it is only a health body that can have a healthy mind. This is because we are in a society where people go through a lot of stress; one can only survive when you make fitness a part of your life.” He noted that when one exercises regularly, one will be happy with the looks and the way he feels. “I am looking at using fitness to control or better still eradicate negativity in the society, “Kemen added. Kemen who is the Chief Executive Officer of `6 PacksNigeria’ reiterated that the programme was going to be on a television channel with a wider coverage and social as well. “We are in the social media era where my YouTube channel will be there at least to give you a glimpse of what you missed on TV,” he noted.
Youth council calls for increased security of citizens By Simon E. Sunday SimonEchewofun
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The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has urged governments at all levels to stop the blame game and collaborate
to stop the rising killings of Nigerians in across communities in the states by gunmen. The Director of Political and Democratic Matters of NYCN, Mr Obinna Nwaka, made the call in an interview with the
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja this week. Nwaka said the call became necessary given the recent mass killings of Nigerians in some communities across the country. He expressed worry that energetic and defenceless youth contributing to the economic development of the country through agriculture and other legitimate vocations were being slaughtered like animals for no just cause. “We are really worried over the lives of promising youth killed and injured during the attack, especially in Benue State where no useful information
has been provided to track the culprits.“ Nwaka said provision of adequate security apparatus to ensure safety of lives should not be politicised, biased and delayed because no one was created by a political party, religion and government. “No group should be made to feel that it is above the law,” he said. Nwaka, while condoling with fellow youth and family members of those killed in the affected states, appealed to them not to take to streets or take laws into their hands to protest the killings.
He urged state governments to intensify more efforts in tackling insecurity by collaborating with the Federal Government through provision of useful information to joint security operatives. He said the protection of citizens’ lives and properties remained the ultimate priority of every leader at all levels that want to make an impact in governance. Nwaka commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the steps taken so far, especially the deployment of more security personnel to the troubled states.
I had no choice but to BOSS up and create my own LANE – M.G. Global