A young female councillor representing Igumale Ward 2 Ado (Etenyi) in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, Patience Enotse Egwurube, has urged youths to acquire skills if they are to survive hard times.
Ms Egwurube who is the only female councillor in Benue South Senatorial Zone (Zone C), in an interview, said the difficulty youths faced, especially with the rising unemployment rate, could be fought with skills acquisition which in turn would make them create jobs.
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She recalled that despite being a graduate of English Education from the National Open University (NOUN), Abuja, her source of livelihood was dependent on her printing outfit before she joined politics in 2019.
She said, “My advice to the teeming idle youths is for them to resist every form of evil, learn handwork and start doing something on their own until God blesses them with a government job, because an idle hand is the devil’s workshop.
“I was into printing in Abuja, I was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Enotse Printing Solutions, but I shut the business down because one of my campaign promises to my people before being elected as a councillor was to move back to the village – Igumale.”
The young lady who holds the position of Organising Secretary of Benue State Councillors’ Forum and the Supervisor, Nigerian Councillors’ Forum, seeks to make a difference in her present male-dominated job.
Coming from a lowly background with education at St Mary’s Primary School, Igumale, and Methodist Girls High School, Otukpo, Ms Egwurube said she joined politics to add her voice to the cause of youths, women and the vulnerable, especially among her own people.
She said, “Indeed, I feel highly honoured and favoured by God and I return all glory to Him alone. I intend to give my fellow women a voice in politics and governance, to restore their hopes and aspirations knowing that what a man can do, a woman can do better.”
She recounted her contribution since becoming a councillor in 2020, saying, “I have been able to contribute my quota to my ward by organising environmental sanitation, creating awareness against human trafficking, drug abuse among the younger generation, and I have been able to make little funds available for few persons in my ward to enable them start up small businesses.
“I bought a set of sports kits and footballs for Igumale United and Ogbee United because I am a lover of sports.”
Despite the success story, Egwurube said she had her challenges in politics, explaining that, “Women pass through a whole lot of challenges in politics as they are often referred to as weaker beings by their male counterparts, which is not true.
“My advice to citizens is simple; we should all strive to be good and patriotic citizens of our dear country Nigeria as Nigeria is ours and Nigeria we serve.”
As for the youths, Egwurube urged them to shun social vices and learn trades.
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