First Lady urges youths to key into govt’s programmes

The First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, has advised Nigerian youths to expand their horizon and financial status by exploring the different programmes of the government.

She gave the advice on Monday while welcoming members and executives of the Youth Wing of Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) to the State House, Abuja, amidst the Easter celebrations.

Tinubu received the association with the exchange of season’s greetings and prayer that God would continually lift the nation and its youths to greater heights.

“I congratulate you all for the giant strides you have been able to achieve since you started. All your programmes are quite laudable; however, you all have to align yourselves with the government programmes.

“I want you to key into what the government is doing.

“Recently, we had a national fabric competition with a prize money of N25 million for youths between the ages of 15 and 25; those are the things you should look forward to.

“We also have the ‘Every Home a Garden’ competition with a prize of N20 million for the winner by December. These are ways you can also make money.

“You have to be innovative, as there are different innovative ways of farming now,” she said.

She also encouraged the executives to involve female youths in their executive arm.

“I was wondering why all the executives introduced to me are all men; there are no women in the executive.

“When women are talking about gender parity, you should be a good example for us.

“There won’t be a better world without the women. They should be part of decision-making since they are the ones advocating.

“We have to start talking about who we are as a nation without throwing away our culture,” she said.

Earlier, YOWICAN National Chairman, Amb. Enwere Belusochukwu, said they came to pay Easter homage and to appreciate her passion for the youths and the nation in general.

He also solicited the support of Tinubu over the planned building of a national resource centre for skill acquisition training for the youths.

Belusochukwu said Tinubu was their grand patroness, recalling that her investiture was held in 2023.

“Our passion and love for her is unending. We are here to wish her and her family Easter bliss.

“We will continue to pray for her and Mr President for God to always guide, guard, protect them, and to always direct them aright.

“I want to tell you authoritatively that all Christian youths in Nigeria are ever ready to align themselves with the vision of President Bola Tinubu.

“We will continue to pray and key ourselves into the policy of the government, as you can see today with the way the Dollar to Naira rate is going down.

“It means the policy is good,” he said. (NAN) 

By Celine-Damilola Oyewole