Session on Youthful and Useful
- Itsekiri NextGen Project: 2022 Session 31 Report
- Topic: World Youth Day
- Date: Saturday 13/08/2022
- Volunteers Present: 4
- Total Number of Attendees: 54
- Timings: 9:00am – 1:00pm
- Venue: Former Caravan 4, Aja-Pessu (Pessu Town), Warri
- Main Topic/Activity: Youthful and Useful
- Resource Person: NextGen team
Summary of the Youthful and Useful Session
Itsekiri Nextgen marked World’s Youth Day In line with the United Nations. They were made to know that as a young generation, they have to live a meaningful and impactful life.
Session Delivery
The session began with an opening prayer by Tobi. Then a recap of the previous session was done by Emmanuel Egbe. The participants were able to recall some traditional knowledge preserved and transmitted by indigenous women. Knowledge like post-natal care, Itsekiri language, songs and folklore were mentioned.
The topic of the day was introduced by Emmanuel Egbe. The participants were asked to mention the age grade for youths, and a boy did well to mention ages 18 to 40. He also said ages 12 to 17 are teenagers and ages below 12 are classified as children.
Uwala Tedeye came up to talk about Youthful and useful. Youths are agents of change in society. They are meant to change the narratives for the better. Using the Itsekiri NextGen team as an example of useful youth, as they have been useful in mentoring young ones.
Malala Yousafzai who is a Pakistani activist for female education was cited as one youth that has shown herself to be useful to society. Her impact in Pakistan and to the world at large regarding female education can not be overemphasized.
Greta Tintin Eleonora Erman Thunberg who is a Swedish environmental activist known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action for climate change mitigation was used to explain how useful and impactful a youth can be.
The EndSARS protest was done by Nigerian youths in the year 2020 as a result of the unlawful killing of youths in different parts of Nigeria by the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) which is a unit of the Nigeria police. This protest was used to tell how the youths can be active and useful in changing the narrative as they took to the street in the month of October 2020.
Also, youths help in defending their community and country at large during war as they are strong and agile.
A resource person Amaju Adanokaren who was excited to be at the session came up to tell of the impact of youth in sports. Just recently, Tobi Amusan and some young Nigerians made Nigeria proud by grabbing some gold medals for Nigeria in the just concluded Commonwealth Games. Furthermore, he brought to the notice of the participants that youths are the ones that help to clean up the community and also help in sustaining the country’s economy through their different businesses.
Participants were admonished to stay focused and be on the right path in life, never to indulge in social vices even as they grow to become useful youths.
Key activities during the Youthful and Useful session
Uwala Tedeye made the participants aware that she is volunteering as a climate change advocate (Energy Transition Awareness) with LEAP AFRICA for world youth day. She talked on the reason to make a shift from the use of energy derived from fossil fuel which is harmful to the environment to renewable and clean energy like water, wind, solar energy Geothermal energy, e.t.c.
Tobi asked what could be used to generate power in place of gas and product from crude oil?
