The Arole Oduduwa and Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II on Sunday charged the Nigerian youths to start seeing themselves as leaders of today and get more actively involved in efforts of moving the nation forward.
He said the common saying “leaders of tomorrow” is a cloak of perpetual social bondage which must be rejected in 2018 as youths are taking over leadership globally.
The African foremost monarch stated this in his 2018 new year message through his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Comrade Moses Olafare in which he sympathized with President Muhammadu Buhari and family over the health challenges of his son, Yusuff Buhari who was recently involved in a motorbike accident in Abuja.
“I share the feelings of Mr President and family at this moment in respect of the health situation of their son who had motorbike accident recently. May the Almighty God grant Yusuff Buhari quickest recovery and continue to uphold Mr President as he leads Nigerians into the new year 2018 which is going to be a year of gargantuan restoration for our dear country “.
“The Nigerian youths must free themselves from the cloak “leaders of tomorrow”.
“Youths are taking over Public leadership all over the world and Nigeria must not be in exception, but the truth is that the field can not just be easily vacated by the elders. The Nigerian youths themselves must begin to get more active especially in politics should they want to really be taken seriously.
“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada is 45, Emmanuel Macron of France is 40, Kim Jong Un of North Korea is 35, Jacinda Ardem of New Zealand is 37 while the Prime Minister of Estonia, Juri Ratas is just 39. It is thus very saddening to see Nigerians even in their 40s and 50s still contesting for youth leadership in their various political parties and always begging to for adequate involvement in the public positions of authority when they should rather see themselves as an unavoidable power block for the stability and sustainability of the Nigeria economically and politically”.
The Co-chairman of National Traditional Rulers Council Of Nigeria admonished Christians in the country to always emulate Jesus Christ in their coexistence with members of other religious doctrines, saying Jesus leaved an exemplary life of tolerance, peace, love and forgive.