INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY: CHRISTIAN
YOUTHS CHARGES TO ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL VENTURES
By: Nicodemus Mikaillu
Youths have been described as
the leaders of tomorrow that are needed to be encouraged because the future
lies in their hands. The Vicar of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria
(LCCN) Cathedral Nassarawo Jimeta-Yola, Adamawa State, Rev. Gideon Ishaku, made
the disclosure in his speech delivered at the program organized by the Church
to marked this year international youth day.
Rev. Ishaku said as the leaders of
tomorrow, there is need for them to dedicate themselves to God because by committing to God, he would brighten their future and they would excel in live.
Therefore, Rev. Gideon advised youth
most especially Christian’s youth, to sit-up and involved themselves in small
scale enterprise to avoid been lazy, stating that when they find one or the
other venture doing, they would become self-reliant and by so doing God would
elevate them to the better position.
The clergy man called on the
well-meaning individuals in the Church to assist youths with jobs and money to
start doing business so that to rid youth idleness in the whole Christendom. He
added that by so doing, it is like they are planting trees for the next
generation to reap.
Reverend Gideon Ishaku thanked the
Chairman of the Youth Committee, Bro. Nelson Kefas, Secretary, Bro. Wandiya
Henry and the entire members of the committee for organizing the program and
prayed God to show them the next year youth's day.
In their separate remarks, the
resource persons for the various trades, such as tailoring, fishery, carpentry,
poultry farming and the two panel discussants, both encouraged youth to engage
themselves in petty trading for them to be self-reliant.
They highlighted the benefits one
would get when he/she involved in small scale enterprise as, would gain honor
and respect in the society, get connection and favor where their qualification
will not take them, know meaningful people in and around the society among
others.
Earlier in his welcome addressed,
the Chairman of the Youths Committee, Bro. Nelson Kefas, welcomed all the
guests and the entire congregation to the program. He said International Youths
Day, is as any other day, such as Fathers, Mothers and Children days that are
observed internationally.
He noted that it is said youths are
the leaders of tomorrow and the future of the Church but their past was
horrible and future more terrible, so how can they guarantee the Church
with a promising future when they themselves are recklessly abandoned?
Thus, brother Nelson lamented that a
larger percentage of the Christian’s Youths are either University, HND,
Colleges and Polytechnics graduates yet this supposed larger productive
population are only but shadow of themselves wasting away with their respective
certificates and knowledge because of lack of employment.
He lamented further that they are
constantly accused of living the Church, stating that their actions are most
often tagged as youthful sluggishness none of their action has ever classified
as sensible or reasonable youths, why can’t they run to where they would be
valued and regarded?
Moreover, he maintained that they are
always happy to announced to their peers in the outside world that, DG that, MD
that, Chairman that, Minister and Commissioner for this and that are their
Church members but have nothing to show since they are not feeling their
impact.
Consequently, Bro. Nelson Kefas
appealed to the highly placed members of the Church to help youths with some
money to start business in order to better their lives and future of the
Church. He equally advised youths to desist from any vulnerable actions and
find something to do for them to be self-employed.
He finally, thanked the Bishop of
Yola Diocese, Rt. Rev. Amos J. Yakubu, Vicar, Pastors, Church Leaders and the
whole congregation for given them the week to pondered on the challenges
bedeviling youths as it is observed internationally and urged them to replicate
the gesture.
Highlights of the event included,
seminar/workshop, drama, panel discussion, gift presentation, special prayers
for the youths, songs of worship and open letter presentation by the youths to
the Christians world over.
Read below the full texts of the
open letter………
Dear Church of God, this is an open
letter to you with the hope that it meets you well, to you that is concerned
and to you that is reading this writing from many troubled hearts of your dear
youths.
It is said that we are the leaders
of tomorrow and the future of the Church but our past was horrible and our
present more awful, so how can we guarantee you as a Church with a promising
future when we ourselves are recklessly abandoned?
UNEMPLOYMENT:
A larger percentage of us in the
Church are University, HND, Colleges and Polytechnics graduates. Yet, this
supposed larger productive population of the Church are only but shadow of
themselves wasting away with our respective certificates and knowledge. Because
those who are supposed to employ labor in the Church are not doing it, even if
they do only youths related to them are concerned.
Some of them are complaining now
that, where are the jobs? Find answers from others Churches and your Muslim colleagues
who secure countless jobs for their youths. How do they do it? Even a cleaner
from the other faith create openings for the Muslims brothers but a noble task
of our highly placed Christian can hardly do that.
POLITICS:
We are constantly accused of living
the Church for other Churches, our actions are most often tagged youthful
exuberance, but we dare say it is not true, not every of our actions is
classified as such, sensible or reasonable youths, why won’t we run to where we
are valued and regarded. Our high class politicians in the Church only know us
when they are canvassing for votes but abandon us after winning elections. They
employ Muslims as PAs, SAs, Secretaries, Advisers and Drivers among others as
if there are no such youths that can handle such jobs among us.
APPOINTMENTS:
We are always happy to announce to
our peers in the outside world that DG that, MD that, GM that, Chairman that,
Minister and Commissioner for this and that are our Church members but have
nothing to show for it since we do not feel their impact, no wonder we have
continued to remain poor despite our abundant knowledge, wisdom and
intelligence. Any attempt by any highly placed Church member here to better the
lives of the youths is an attempt to sharpen the future of the Church because
we are its future.
TRIBALISM:
Tribalism has eaten us deep that
progress in life has become strange to us, that you can only assist people from
your tribe alone is not an achievement at all although blood may be thicker
than water, yet the same blood can only be functional only when there is water
in the body, the youths implore you to affect them irrespective of tribe or
family.
MODELLING:
It saddens our hearts that as it is,
we cannot be proud to point any single elderly person in the Church who
advanced in his field as a mentor and one to look up to. Upcoming politicians
are not open for support and scholarship. No wonder, one can hardly point out
one standing Christian political god-father in Adamawa State. Our political
elders have continued to fail us following their inability to put their head
together to produce a Christian candidates and victors during elections. Some
have betrayed us by choosing to be silent in the areas that they supposed to be
vocal for fear or to have the stipends for justification.
Just imagine the present scenario;
Christian Religion Knowledge (C.R.K) is no longer taught in our Secondary
Schools as teachers for the subject are not being employed. The few schools
that still have the subject only operate skeletal system, you will be more
troubled when you compare this to I.R.K which has countless number of teachers
and some of these teachers even sit redundant under the trees as they are much
more than the subject. Alas! No Christian can talk about this, if we as youth
want to handle it ourselves our elders are first to criticize us with
“blackmail” that we are trouble makers, therefore, if you can’t we can.
Admissions into institutions of
higher learning and scholarship have become rights for Muslims but no Christian
youth is approached with this opportunity, dear Church, won’t you arise?
It hurts our hearts to know that
Christian office holders are used to implement such anti-Christians movements.
Christians are slaughtered like
animals today and no voice is raised from any Christian quota, a shame indeed.
Finally, before we drop our pen, we
wish to challenge you to pick up the pieces and act right
Yours faithfully,
L.C.C.N Cathedral Nassarawo’s youths
