Nigeria News
I intend to reform the Youth Council if elected President – Tosin Adeyanju
by Citizens Platform
“An injury to any Nigerian should be an injury to all” Tosin Adeyanju declares to contest the position of the President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria ahead of the Council elections in Benue; he speaks to Tahir Sherriff on his plans for young Nigerians if elected President of the youth Council.
Please tell us more about yourself, and how you got the name KAKAAKI?
Tosin Adeyanju is a purpose-driven, passionate and committed young Nigerian with outstanding leadership qualities. A graduate of Political Science and Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.He is a young patriot and a visionary nationalist with an uncommon zeal to see a New Nigeria birthed. Adeyanju has over the years, been vigorously pursuing the mainstreaming of youth initiatives into every process in the country, from constitution review, electoral reforms, peace building, national appointments and other national engagements. In the past two years, he has been working tirelessly at proffering a youth-angle solution to the challenges of terrorism with a noble initiative called Grand Alliance Against Terrorism (GAAT), as well tackling other problems such as kidnapping and human trafficking. He is totally committed to ensure that the youth participate in every process in the country.
I got the name Kakaaki through my outspoken engagement on national issues. Among several media organizations where I have featured, the AIT Kakaaki segment gave me regular and very good appearances. This further endeared me to limelight as many of my peers, especially in the National Youth Council of Nigeria from that moment often called me Kakaaki and the name stocked with me till tomorrow. . It has been my campaign identity since then.
How long have you been campaigning for youths in Nigeria, and what has been your key concerns?
Right from my early days in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, I have been actively involved in the vanguard of reclaiming the rightful place of the youth in Nigeria. This engagement started more than a decade ago. Out of conviction to contribute my quota to youth and students issue, I participated in Students’ Union activities throughout my stay in Zaria. I was elected as the Public Relations Officer of ABU Students’ Union Government (ABUSUG) and used my office to further advance the interest of the youth in the country.
My key concern is that Nigerian youths deserve more than we are getting from the system in Nigeria. The story of Nigeria’s Independence is the story of several young Nigerians who made selfless sacrifice to birth this nation. However, several years of military interregnum and haphazard political system denied the youths a place of reckoning and further active participation. So my commitment is to see a rebirth of that enviable role Nigerian youths are capable of playing to evolve a better nation. The over 60 millions youths in Nigeria are not a group to be pitied, but a group to be seen as partners in progress. For I believe that it through the wisdom of the elders and the strength of Nigerian youths that we can have a great nation.
Do you think there are sufficient institutional structures to sufficiently tackle the problems of youths in Nigeria?
I have no doubt that there are sufficient institutional structures even though more could be created. It is not even a lack of it, but effectively using the structures on ground to solve the youth problems. The youths are seen by the leaders as a group of young Nigerians to be pitied and fed with crumbs and that is why we are not getting the strategy right and using available structures well. What the government needs to look at is to develop a strategic framework for youths reform and critical explore how the youths can be partners in progress to salvage this nation. It is only this line of thought that can make the government and the elders appreciate the enormous advantage the youths can bring to this nation.
What are your expectations in the coming elections of the National Youth Council of Nigeria?
For me contesting for the NYCN election is a matter of giving my very best to the youths of this nation and not a do or die affair. I have a strong conviction that Nigerian youths will give me this huge mandate to serve them and I have pledged my loyalty and selfless service. I will abide by the outcome of the election whichever way it goes. I am a democrat and I have made it clear time without number that my main commitment is to see a new NYCN. That is why the reform of the council is a major target for me.
Do you think the National Youth Council of Nigeria can adequately work towards tackling the problem of youths in the country?
NYCN is not a government institution or an agency in the private sector. However, NYCN as a body with good organization and focused leadership has the capacity to partner with the government, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to tackle problems besetting the youths. Another campaign I will embark upon is to encourage the youths to be self-reliant. Government and its institutions cannot all address our problems. The council that I intends to lead will put all cards on the table to address the youth problems.
During your position as an Ex Officio member of Kogi State Youth Council did you participate in any projetct that aided the development of youths in the state?
It is a recent position, but I can tell you that I have been working in synergy with the Kogi Executive to drive the State council. Even when I am not in the State, we regularly interact and share ideas. The council has also been working assiduously to support my ambition.
What experiences led you to working towards fighting against terrorism and kidnapping as well as being a member of the initiative Grand Alliance Against Terrorism?
For me, an injury to any Nigerian should be an injury to all. If we think deeply and look critically at the poem of John Pepper Clarke, we will understand truly that we are all casualties of terrorism. I can never be an onlooker in my country. The mindless attacks by terrorists and killings of innocent Nigerians spurred me to think of what I can do to support my nation. So GAAT came handy as an initiative that I could use to offer my support to this nation at a trying time.
What prompted your creation of the youth initiative ‘Conscience Nigeria’ and what is the goal of the initiative?
Over the years, I have built my capacity in leadership initiatives, NGO management, media engagement and political consultancy services. I have always dreamt of a good platform to advance my vision for this nation. This led me to put in place an organization called Conscience Nigeria. It is an independent, non-governmental and not-for-profit organization established in 2005 for the promotion of good governance, rule of law, democracy and the mainstreaming of youth initiatives in national engagements.
Has your experience as a National Association of Nigerian Students NANS given you any insight on the plights of youths in the country?
My participation in NANS and other you-led organizations has given me the opportunity to better understand the challenges facing the youths. This experience counts in my favour to work for the good of the youths if elected NYCN President.
Are you a member an active political party, and does this shape your views on the development of Nigerian youths?
I am a card carrying member of the PDP and actively involved in the party process. My joining a political party is influenced by the need to effect changes from within. I have often encouraged Nigerian youths to join a party of choice. We have the number and capacity to drive a positive change from within. My experience so far in the PDP and the political process has made to realize that the youth must engage the process to regain their place of history as partners to advance the nation to greatness and solve many youth challenges.
What is your vision for the Nigerian Youths?
My vision is for the youth to secure their place of pride and honor as co-travelers in the Nigerian project, and also as partners with the elders to evolve a better nation. I want to make every Nigerian youth realize that that he or she has a role to play and something good to offer this nation.
Tahhir Sherriff is a News Reporter and can be reached for interviews at [email protected], follow him on twitter @tahirsherriff
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Posted in Nigeria News. A DisNaija.Com network.
Source: Citizens Platform
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The Kano State Government on Saturday said it has transferred 1,098 ‘almajiris’ to different states of the country.
The commissioner for local government, Murtala Garo, disclosed this while presenting a report before the state’s task force on COVID-19 at the government house, Kano.
Almajiris are children who are supposed to be learning Islamic studies while living with their Islamic teachers. Majority of them, however, end up begging on the streets of Northern Nigeria. They constitute a large number of Nigeria’s over 10 million out-of-school children.
Mr Garo said the Kano government transported 419 almajiris to Katsina, 524 to Jigawa and 155 to Kaduna. He said all of them tested negative for coronavirus before leaving the Kano State.
Despite the coronavirus test done in Kano for the almajiris, the Jigawa government earlier said it would quarantine for two weeks all the almajiris that recently arrived from Kano.
Mr Garo said another 100 almajiris scheduled to be taken to Bauchi State also tested negative to COVID-19.
In a remark, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje said the COVID-19 situation in Kano was getting worse. He appealed for a collaborative effort to curtail the spread of the virus in the state.
Mr Ganduje, who commended residents for complying with the lockdown imposed in the state, said the decision was taken to halt the spread of the virus.
Kano State, as of Saturday night, has 77 coronavirus cases, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
The decision to transfer the Kano almajiris is part of the agreement reached between Northern governors that almajiris in each state be transferred to their states of origin.
However, even before the latest agreement by the governors, the Kano government had been transferring almajiris to other states and neighbouring countries after it banned street begging in the state, most populous in Northern Nigeria.
Despite the transfers, however, no concrete step has been taken to ensure such children do not return to Kano streets as there is freedom of movement across Nigeria although interstate travel was recently banned to check the spread of the coronavirus.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
By Ugochukwu Alaribe
Operatives of the Abia State Vigilante Service, AVS, popularly known as ‘Bakassi Boys’ have arrested 24 market women hidden in a container truck, at Ekwereazu Ngwa, the boundary community between Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The market women, said to be from Akwa Ibom State, were on their way to Aba, when they were arrested with the truck driver and two of his conductors for violating the lockdown order by the state government.
Driver of the truck, Moses Asuquo, claimed he was going to Aba to purchase stock fish, but decided to assist the market women, because they were stranded.
A vigilante source told Sunday Vanguard that the vehicle was impounded while the market women were sent back to Akwa Ibom State.
Commissioner for Home Land Security, Prince Dan Okoli, who confirmed the incident, said that smuggling of people into the state poses great threat to the state government’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID- 19.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
Operatives of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yaba of the Lagos State police command have arrested one Mrs Nene Steve for allegedly killing her maid, Joy Adole
The maid was allegedly beaten to death by Nene for requesting for her salary at their residence located at 18, Ogundola Street, Bariga area in Lagos.
Narrating the incident, Philips Ejeh, an elder brother to the deceased said that he was sad when they informed him that his sister was beaten to death.
He explained that the deceased was an indigene of Benue State brought to Lagos through an agent and started working with her as a maid in January 2020.
‘’She reported that her boss refused to pay her and anytime she asked for her salary she will start beating her.
She was making an attempt to leave the place but due to the total lockdown she remained there until Sunday when her boss said she caught her stealing noodles and this led to her serious beating and death,’’ Ejeh said.
He called on Lagos State Government and well- meaning people in the country to help them in getting justice for the victim.
The police spokesman, Bala Elkana, stated that the woman and her husband came to Bariga Police Station to a report that their house girl had committed suicide.
Detectives were said to have visited the house and suspected foul play with the position of the rope and bruises all over the body which confirmed that the girl had been tortured to death and the boss decided to hang up the girl to make it look like suicide.
He said: “The police moved on with their investigation and found a lot of sign of violence on her body that she has been tortured before a rope was put on her neck.’’
He added that the police removed the corpse and deposited it in the mortuary for autopsy to further ascertain the cause of the death.
Elkana said the matter has been transferred from Bariga police station to Panti for further investigation while the couple have been arrested and will be charged to court.
Ostensibly alarmed by the latest killings of dozens of soldiers by Boko Haram insurgents, President Muhammadu Buhari has summoned an urgent meeting of Service Chiefs to find ways to stop the trend.
He has also dispatched the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali, to the neighbouring Republic of Chad for an urgent meeting with President Idris Deby and his defence counterpart.
Knowledgeable sources said in Abuja on Friday that the president is worried by on the deterioration of security situation on the Nigeria – Chad Border that has led to the recently increased Boko Haram terrorism in the area.
The sources which did not want to be named in Abuja said: “Nigeria has a Chad problem in the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) put together to secure the Lake Chad basin areas and repeal the Boko Haram terrorist attacks against all the countries neighbouring the Lake.”
The sources noted that Chad is believed to be having their own internal security challenges and this has reportedly led to their pulling away their own troops manning their own border around Lake Chad, saying: “That lacuna is being exploited by the Boko Haram terrorists, who go in and out of Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon to launch terrorist acts. This is a clear illustration of the fact that terrorism is beyond national borders.”
When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed that the Defence Minister is going to Chad but said he is unaware of the purpose.
Meanwhile, the military authorities are said to be in the process of identifying the families of the latest victims with a view to making contact with them.
Credible sources revealed that it is the reason the president is yet to make any pronouncement on the matter.
“The President has called an urgent meeting with the Service Chiefs, as well as the fact that families of the latest victims of the Boko Haram are being identified and contacts made before a government pronouncement on the tragic attacks. This, it is understood, is the reason for the silence of the government over the incident,” the source said.
Sourced From: Tribune
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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