President, Asaba Community Youths Association
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]gbueshi (Comrade)Obodo Okediachi, The present Chairman ,Asaba Community Youths Association(ACYA) is someone who looks up for direction even as he continues to soar higher by the special grace of God. A compassionate leader who has consistently for years continues to make people happy. He is Humble, jovial, loving, generous, easy going, accommodating etc. He is a man that allows people to express their views on any given issue before coming up with his decision even as a boss or leader.
Ogbueshi(Comrade) Obodo Okediachi is the newly installed President of Asaba Community Youths Association(ACYA); the umbrella body of all youths organisations in Asaba. In this exclusive interview with Grassroots Publishers online, Okediachi inspired with a vision to create a platform where young people in Asaba will be deliberately empowered with the skills, drive and character required to be a transformational leader.
Excerpts:
Comrade, Recently you were installed as the new President of Asaba Community Youths Association(ACYA) by HRM Obi Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien, How do you feel Sir?
To the glory of God,I feel very happy and grateful to Obi Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien,CFR,JP, the Asagba of Asaba and his entire Palace Chiefs, Asaba Youths and the entire Asaba people for opportunity given to me to serve them. After our inauguration we are now One people, one vision, Great Youths and we have come together as one big family for the progress of Asaba youths.
The Youths body has always been a target for politicians who use it for their political interest. What are you doing to make the I ACYA the authentic voice for Asaba Youths?
Everywhere in the world, youths constituencies are a major political target for numerous reasons. Politicians will continue to romance youth organizations, associations and so on but the challenge is how do we participate in politics? What role do we play in the game of politics? What do politicians perceive of youths when politics is discussed?
The participation of youths in politics has outgrown using them as political thugs, ballot snatchers, and mere campaign crowds. The fact remains that any country desirous of a prosperous future would take youths engagement beyond political machinations. The Asaba Community Youths Association under my watch would be more concerned about youths participation in governance which is in synchronization with youths participation in politics.
We hope to see more youths elected and appointed into offices rather than fighting one another in the name of politics. To lead the apex youth body in Asaba is a tasking responsibility but with God Almighty, this administration shall succeed beyond expectation. I had the grace to have risen through the rank and file of youths activism, from being a traditional youths leader to ethnic youths leader, now the Asaba Community Youths President.
With the experiences gathered over time and the support from the council, we would have a council that represents the interest of all. This leadership under my watch will facilitate scholarship awards for our students, create employment opportunities for youths across the villages in Asaba, produced quality representation to Asaba youths in regional and international fronts, among others.
Youths unemployment is seen as one of the reasons for the rising crime rate in Asaba and Delta State. Is the council in talks with the government and relevant stakeholders on ways of mitigating unemployment in the land?
The cardinal point of my administration is to fight insecurity and make sure peace reign supreme in Asaba. Youths employment is a major focus of my administration. It’s a serious matter and my leadership is looking at it as a top priority. It aches my heart to see talents roaming about the streets without proper utilization. Asaba is endowed with youths that are broad-minded, skillful and multi-talented; unfortunately, they are underutilized. The majority of Asaba youths believe in seeking greener pasture outside, due to unemployment or underemployment. We cannot continue like this considering the vast material and mineral resources this Delta is endowed with because, Asaba capital territory of Delta State . The adage “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop” best describes the high rate of criminal activities in the country and it is so sad that the youths form the bulk of criminal elements we have in the country today.
The council under my watch will partner with relevant stakeholders to reduce the unemployment rate in the society. Additionally, leadership workshops and entrepreneurial training would be organized across the town while sponsorship programs will be facilitated for youths (Skill Acquisition) entrepreneurs and so on. The council under my watch must reduce crime in Asaba, because no investor will like to put his or her money if the environment is not safe , so we want to create peaceful environment that will attract Investors and visitor to our community.
Presently , we have commence serious campaign against cultism , kidnapping and other crimes in Asaba ,telling the youths the implication of committing crime or killing because if anybody kills under the name of any cult group , we will go for the person and not the group, so whatever group you belong we are not interested but will be interested in the perpetrator of the crime (killer) and he must face the law.
Asaba is no longer a safe heaven for crime perpetrator because our vigilant group is very proactive now because they are well equipped and the sons and daughters of Asaba are giving them maximum support. So we advise the evil doers to relocate from Asaba for their safety.
Comrade, Obi Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien, CFR, JP, the Asagba of Asaba inaugurated you and Exco officers in his Palace on Saturday 2nd October,2020. Can you throw more light on how this came about?
Obi Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien, CFR, JP, the Asagba of Asaba is our Royal father and the pillar of this Youths body, He has changed the traditional face of Asaba and he has brought a lot of developments to the community. Infact, Obi Prof.Joseph Chike Edozien is the arrowhead of Asaba , he represents the community both at the local, state and federal levels. We are very grateful for his reign as our king because he has bought alot of development to Asaba.
What is your assessment of the general state of affairs in the Delta?
Delta State is a great state blessed with wonderful people. Irrespective of the situation, Deltans always stand tall. The government has a role to play in making this state a better place for us all and our part. Our amiable Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, has performed beyond expectations in spite of paucity of funds occasioned by the economic recession that confronted the country when he came on board on May 29,2015, particularly in job/wealth creation for the youths through the STEO/YAGEP schemes, human capital development, the prevailing peace in the state and infrastructural development as evident in the massive road construction and rehabilitation across the three senatorial districts of the state. “Governor Okowa believes so much in the youths. His consistent effort to build young leaders in Delta State is laudable. Obviously, Okowa has made some positive shifts from the status quo that must be acknowledged”. We shall continue to contribute our quota to the growth of our dear state.
Governor Okowa has done very well in the five years of his administration, he has turned the fortunes of the state around for the better in fulfillment of his campaign promises. Asaba youths wish to use this medium to thank and appeal to Gov.Ifeanyi Okowa because since the creation of Asaba as capital territory , he is the only Delta State elected governor that recognized Asaba as capital, since he assumed office as the executive governor we have witnessed alot of positive developmental change in Asaba and we urge him to continue to give Asaba the face of a capital.
What is your message to the Youths of Asaba?
I want the entire Asaba youths to support us because we have alot of agenda for the progress of our youths , Asaba Youths must ‘forge a bond of peace’ for true development to take place, With the backing of HRM Obi Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien, we are working to ensure that Asaba people see tangible results in this new Next Level era.
Thank you very much.
By: Ike Philip Abiagom, Victor Okonkwo & Glory Ogoh