The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on Wednesday described the youths as the country’s untapped immeasurable wealth and resources and urged them to take leadership roles.
The Ooni spoke in Ile-Ife while playing host to scores of Nigerian youths from all parts of the country under the aegis of the National Youth Council of Nigeria(NYCN) as part of the celebration of International Youth Day.
Irked by the low participation of Nigerian youths in leadership, the Ooni lamented that the youths have misplaced their priorities and must redress it as a matter of urgent public importance.
Among other things, the Ooni condemned the ongoing Big Brother 9ja reality show which he said has been misrepresenting the goodness and integrity of the Nigerian youths.
Instead, the Ooni advocated for a new show that will project the country’s values and tradition and be more beneficial to the youths.
He tasked the leaders of the National Youth Council of Nigeria to work out plans on the show, which will be called, “The Big Nigeria Reality Show”.
“The proposed show will be structured in a way that young professionals, talented individuals and others across several field of endeavour will be showcased and helped to reach their peak.
“This would help the participants and also help viewers to have access to people that can be seen as role models,” Ooni added.
“Nigerian youths are found of accusing and abusing our leaders, stop abusing them and do your bits. Let’s wear our thinking caps and begin to act like real leaders that we are.
“In the last general election, the total number of votes cast was around 27 million while over 170 million people voted during the 2019 Big Brother Naija reality show.
“This is a practical reality of who Nigerian youths are and where our priorities lie as Nigerians.
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“The funny side in all of these is that we still go to bed, have a good sleep and wake up with the hope to meet a Nigeria we didn’t create. Nigerian Youths! Nigerian Youths!! Nigerians Youths!!!
Unfortunately, every time I talk about this kind of attitude, everyone just laugh and move on. What kind of nation are we building?
“When people say this country, or what kind of country is this, they are indirectly saying these people – it is the people that make a country; so what kind of Nigerian youths are we?” Ooni asked.
