Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, has suggested to Nigerian youths to channel their energy to positive use and not engage in fraudulent activities.
He also advised fresh graduates with university degree not to wait or rely on government for unavailable white collar jobs but engage in petty trade and other financial activities that would keep their minds away from destructive thoughts.
The advice which was contained in homily delivered by the Archbishop at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Sabon Lugbe, Abuja, on Sunday, also exposed the youths to great opportunities in Nigeria, thus urging them to look inwards and make use of them for individual and collective benefit.
He asked the Government to assist the youths by generating good job opportunities and create avenues for acquisition of skills that would make them useful and relevant in global discussions.
He said: “As a country, we must channel our resources into human capacity development and productive ventures instead of overdependence on oil, foreign aid and aggressive borrowing from other countries.
“Unarguably, we are blessed with huge agricultural potentials to make us self-reliant and our youth gainfully employed, and there is no reason to be referred to as ‘the poverty capital of the world.’ Why we don’t progress well is because we fail to make the necessary sacrifices and transparency that could propel us to greatness.
“Evidently, many Nigerians are thriving abroad but people at home with good brains and skills
are frustrated because of the deficiency of social infrastructure, technical equipment, coupled with corrupt practices. Our leaders should provide the conducive environment and help people who have gifts to employ them for
the good of fellow Nigerians.”
He, however, tackled African leaders who blame their backwardness as a nation on other people or other factors instead of their irresponsibility or laziness, particularly those relying on foreign aids for the development of their countries and people.
He added: “Many of these African countries still blame their lack of progress on their colonial masters. They forgot that it’s easier to sit and lament the ordeals of the colonial era than look for solutions that would address problems.
“It represents the attitude of the unproductive servant in the scripture who buried his God-given talent or those, who instead of using their knowledge and skill prefer begging or even stealing.”
