IYD: Nigerian youths must seek mentorship – NELF panellists

Nigerian youths have been advised to seek mentorship from the older generation to be able to reach their targets in life with ease.

The Nigerian Emerging Leaders Forum (NELF)’s panellists gave this advice at a programme to mark the 2022 International Youths Day (IYD) in Abuja.

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Speaking on the theme for this year “Intergenerational solidarity”, Mr Shuaibu Idris, said the youths were not presenting themselves for mentorship, stressing that it was the missing link in achieving their targets in life.

Mr, Idris, a management consultant and Chairman of Timeline Consults, said: “In the 60s, intergenerational solidarity was tightly knitted where the old people hold the younger ones by hand. By that, the elders act as guardians and counsellors in an informed way… but the situation is not the same now.

“These days, the young guys will tell us ‘this is not your time, you are old school.'”

While lamenting the disconnect between the young and old generations, he said: “Young people don’t want to be mentored, they are too independent and egocentric.”

Mr Idris also blamed the older generation for being too busy and pursuing wealth, saying they don’t have the time to mentor the younger ones.

Also, Maureen Onwukwe Kelechi, founder of Good Governance Awareness Initiative, said youths in the country were not happy, adding that was the reason they were leaving the country in droves.

“They feel they are being deprived of their rights. There is a disconnect between them and the older ones. Youths need mentorship,” she added.

On his part, Suleiman Babamanu, a renewable energy expert, called on the youth to take advantage of technology to better their lives.

While calling on the youth to expand their horizon and be relevant, he said learning new skills was important in achieving their ambition.

However, Dr Ndubuisi Idejiora-Kalu said the older generation was corrupting the youth, arguing that they had nothing good to teach.

He added that: “The system we have in Nigeria today is that the older generation doesn’t want to shake hands with the younger ones.

“The older ones don’t want to leave the scene for the youth. How can you talk of intergenerational solidarity when you don’t make the environment conducive for the young ones to thrive?”

He called on the youth to be selective in what they pick from the older generation.