By Amos Okioma
The need for Bayelsa State youths to be disciplined and play politics with high sense of decency were the high points raised by a former Commissioner for Special Duties in Bayelsa State, Rueben Okoya, at the first Orange Movement Youth Convocation in Yenagoa.
The convocation was organized by the Coalition for Development and Democracy in Bayelsa (CDDB) with the theme: ‘‘Building Bayelsa Together Through Participatory Democracy, The Youths Perspective’’.
Okoya, who was a special guest of honour at the event, further stated that youths and education are crucial for socio-economic and political development of not only the youths but also the state as a whole.
While noting that although the Nigerian youths are striving under very tight environment, Okoya advised them to channel their God-given talents into useful ventures and emulate leaders who advocate peace and development of the state.
In his address, the Executive Director of CDDB, Dr. Ekiyor Welson, enjoined Bayelsa youths to come together under a particular platform to chart a way forward.
Welson also stated that that platform is what the Orange Movement
represents, adding that Bayelsa youths should see themselves as part of the building of a greater Bayelsa.
The royalfather of the day, His Royal Majesty Joshua Igbagara, posited that education was the key to national development all over the world, emphasizing that youths must pursue quality education while making useful contribution when playing politics.
The traditional ruler, who is the Amananaowei of Gbarain Kingdom, further pointed out that Bayelsa youths were being baptized at the event to become useful elements in politics and other sectors of the society, stressing that they should shun social vices that are capable of negatively affecting the development of the state.
While the Bayelsa State chapter chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN ), Arch Bishop Jacob Akpiri, averred that the clergy would not only mobilize Bayelsans to support a youthful governor, but would prayer for peaceful election and screen out any aspirants that has links with cultism or a cocaine drug addict.
“During the next governorship election we shall pray for peaceful election and screen out anyone who is a drunkard, cocaine smoker and does not have fear of God,” he said.
Over 600 youth groups and students from institutions of higher learning across the country attended the 1st Orange Movement Youth convocation with the theme: Building Bayelsa Together through participatory democracy :the youth perspective.
Meanwhile, an 11-point communique released at the end of the event decried the imposition of candidates, thuggery and other electoral malpractice as hindrance to democracy and selection of students for scholarship based on favoritism negate the principle of merit, that politicians should give all the candidates equal opportunity to contest and try their ability. It also accused politicians and political leaders as cause of the state’s problems and these have resulted to social ills like election violence, rigging, militancy, kidnapping and fraudulent mismanagement of resources and condemned legislators who diverted constituency funds to their personal use, thereby denying them constituency projects that were meant to accelerate development of infrastructure. It also called for active participation of the youths in politics and governance.