NYCN Ogbomoso zone celebrates international youth week, calls for unity, responsible leadership
pannigeriannews
2 min read
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ogbomoso Zonal Chapter has concluded activities marking the 2026 International Youth Week with a ceremonial parade and public lecture held at the Onigbinde Resources Centre, Ogbomoso.
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The grand finale brought together youth organisations under the NYCN, youth leaders, young people involved in politics, religious leaders and other stakeholders across Ogbomosoland to deliberate on the theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspiration.”
Delivering the public lecture on behalf of Rev. Niyi Adebayo, Dr. Oni Emmanuel Abiodun urged youths to remain focused, resilient and united in purpose despite differences in background, religion and political affiliation.
He said the collective aspiration for a better Ogbomoso and Nigeria should take precedence over individual and sectional interests, stressing the need for young people to work together towards the development of their communities and the nation.
The programme also featured a panel discussion titled “The Role of Youths in Nation Building: Bridging Contextual Gaps to Actualize Common Aspirations.” The session featured Comr. Elegbede Rahman, Mr. Olawale Akanbi, Dr. Sulayman Olasunkanmi and Mr. Kayode Oke.
The panellists identified youth engagement, civic responsibility, tolerance and interfaith harmony as essential to building a peaceful and sustainable society. They also called on young people to take an active role in governance and community development.
The Father of the Day, Rev. Dr. Kayode Oke, urged participants not to allow religious or ethnic differences to undermine societal cohesion.
He called on youths to become agents of peace and unity in their respective communities, emphasising the importance of tolerance and mutual respect in addressing divisions within society.
In their goodwill messages, dignitaries at the event similarly cautioned against allowing political, religious and social differences to become sources of discord, intolerance and violence.
Among those who attended the event were Hon. Olamijuwon Alao-Akala, member representing Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South and Oriire Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives; Hon. Dr. Kunle Adegbite, represented by Mr. Oladipo Abimbola; Hon. Julius Ajayi, represented by Hon. Akande Babatunde; Dr. E. A. Oni; Comr. Ibrahim Kashim of Ogbomoso Sons and Daughters Universal; Mr. Martins Oladipo of the University of Ilorin Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies; and DRC A. S. Odewumi of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ogbomoso.
Also present were NYCN leaders, including the State Chairman, Comr. Eniola Alex, represented by the State Legal Adviser, Comr. Mayowa Olaniyan; Dr. Bukola Olatunji; Comr. Matthew Oyewusi; Apostle Oluranti Ajani; Comr. Wisdom Timothy; Akinade Adewale; and Comr. Moses Joel, among others.
The leadership of NYCN Ogbomoso Zone has, over the years, sustained the annual celebration as a platform for inspiring young people to embrace unity, leadership, civic responsibility and service.
The zonal chapter said the initiative was also designed to align with the global observance of International Youth Week while providing an opportunity for youths and other stakeholders to reflect on their collective responsibility towards the development of Ogbomosoland and Nigeria.
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