Young people can lead social change in Nigeria – Omo-Agege

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has expressed optimism that young people can lead social change in Nigeria.

Speaking in Abuja when he hosted students on a leadership programme with the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Senator Omo-Agege charged them to see themselves as beacons of hope and agents of transformation in their communities.

He urged the young ambassadors to position themselves as drivers of the emerging change in global developmental efforts.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, the Delta Central lawmaker explained that young people would become vanguards of positive change agents in their respective communities if their boundless energies are well harnessed and directed.

His words: “There are two ways to change a country: through revolution and evolution. Revolution is when you get some people who don’t like what is happening, they plan and change everything at once. But that is very difficult. And at times, it can be violent.

“The easier one is through evolution where you change the country gradually. If you have a leader who is not good, you change that leader. If you have a policy which is not good, you change it. If you have a behaviour which is not good, you bring a national reorientation to change that behaviour.

“One of the greatest instruments for changing any society is young people. One thing I want you to take away from here is that don’t think about being leaders of tomorrow. Think about being leaders of today. And we believe that young people should be leaders of today and not leaders of tomorrow.

“If there is going to be a phenomenal change in Nigeria, it is in the hands of young people because old people are more difficult to change than young people. Young people are dynamic, innovative, creative and they have the capacity to change.

“And we are already seeing changes in the Buhari administration. In this National Assembly, the things we were hearing before that before you pass any bill you have to bribe legislators, those things are not happening again. Changes are gradual and we are confident that we are on the right path”.

Earlier, Leader of the group who doubles as Education Champion for Centre LSD, Frances Igwilo, said the visit was aimed at educating the students on the workings of the National Assembly.