Youths are the spine of Nigeria, By Murtadha Gusau

Nigeria has a big proportion of youths within the inhabitants, a considerable quantity that can not be ignored. The common Nigerian youth is energetic, idealistic and decided. What the youth requires is a conducive setting to construct its capability and contribute valuably to Nigeria’s progress and prosperity. However the place that is missing, then, we should always all be prepared for the results which is probably not palatable.

All reward is because of Allah, Lord of all of the worlds. Peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Messenger, his family and companions.

Revered brothers and sisters! Islam has given youth a excessive standing as a result of the event of civilisations and the way forward for each nation is of their fingers.

They safeguard its land and construct its glory because of their open thoughts, advantageous pondering, pure hearts, robust arms and can and true religion. Allah Almighty says:

“Certainly, they have been youths who believed of their Lord, and We elevated them in steerage.”

Islam has given a lot consideration to younger folks and instructed Muslims to offer them with good and sound training. With good and sound training, they are going to be wholesome of their our bodies, imagine in Allah the Almighty and be guided with His obedience.

One who follows the precise path and obeys Allah since his/her younger days is definitely a winner on this life and the hereafter. As Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) as soon as mentioned:

“Younger individuals who grew up obeying Allah and following his orders could be amongst seven classes of people that could be supplied shade on judgment day.”

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) all the time paid consideration and took curiosity within the younger and highlighted the significance of youth. He instructed in a single Hadith:

“Benefit from 5 (issues) earlier than 5 (different issues): your youth, earlier than you develop into outdated; your well being, earlier than you fall sick; your richness, earlier than you develop into poor; your free time, earlier than you develop into busy; and your life, earlier than your loss of life.”

Zaid Bin Thabit, who at a younger age was requested by the Prophet (Peace be upon him):

“‘Are you aware Syriac?’ He mentioned ‘No.’ The Prophet mentioned: ‘Then study it since we obtain letters (written in Syriac).’”

Younger individuals are superior of their capabilities and power. Thus, they’re supposed to maintain themselves busy with good work.

The truth is, there may be nothing prettier than combining the keenness of the youth with the experience of the aged individuals.

Revered brothers and sisters! The precise age vary that signifies “youth” can range from society to society. In accordance with the Nationwide Youth Coverage 2019, a Nigerian youth is an individual between 18-29 years. Youth, in a really basic definition, is a interval of life in-between childhood and maturity.

Alternatively, Nigeria is essentially the most populous nation in Africa with one of many largest inhabitants of youths having the 60 per cent of the approximated 212,038,975 whole members. Regardless of youths of Nigeria having the most important chunk of the nation’s inhabitants, Nigeria is being confronted by quite a few encumbrances hindering the nation from improvement.

It’s an indisputable fact that the youth are the backbone of each nation, and likewise the bridge upon which each and every developed nation crossed to its pinnacle of improvement. Extra so, they’re the brink upon which the current and future of each society and nation at massive hinges.

Nonetheless, the function of the Nigerian youth within the emergence of a brand new Nigeria can’t be overemphasised, having seen the truth that all of the international locations the place youth are enabled to actively take part in nation constructing are often most developed. Despite the truth that patriotic commitments of nation constructing is a duty upon every citizen, Nigerian youth are the primary device for use with a purpose to forge forward a greater Nigeria.

To attain the foregoing, it’s paramount to take cognisance of the obstacles upon the roads of Nigerian youth and as nicely dig out the genesis of such issues, that hinder the youth from shifting the nation as much as the trail of development, from their very root. These would forthwith construct an easy bridge upon which options could be reached.

Expensive servants of Allah! Probably the most devastating facet militating in opposition to the Nigerian youthful inhabitants is excessive charge of illiteracy. Which is the backbone of just about all the issues crippling the youth of Nigeria. Such ensued to the insufficient and improper funding of academic sectors, and manufacturing of half baked graduates on account of the inadequateness of the infrastructural and studying services in studying establishments, and unavailability of inexpensive training with nice high quality.

Whereas, it takes training to see past pricks, conceive new ideas, fathom issues and as nicely result in relevant options.

One other facet that should come to the forefront whereas counting the challenges of youth is disunity. Despite the excessive inhabitants of youth in Nigeria, they’re sure to be powerless each in voice and motion, because of lack of unity amongst themselves.

It has been in vibrant mild that Nigerian residents, significantly the youths who’re the bulk are religiously, tribally and regionally segregated. On account of which peace is as fragile because the shell of egg within the nation. Whereas unity and improvement are two aspect of a coin, with out which Nigeria can’t transfer an inch in the direction of progress.

One other points standing because the clog within the wheel of the progress of Nigeria and her youths is excessive charge of unemployment. it was lately delivered to the entrance burner by CBN that 80 per cent of Nigerian youths are unemployed, It additionally had it that 70 per cent of the 80 million youth in Nigeria are both unemployed or underemployed, because of which most of the youths who’re must be vigorously collaborating in driving the wagon of the nation in the direction of progress are being engaged in quite a lot of crimes, reminiscent of kidnapping, Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, arm theft, ethno-religious disaster, and so on, which can be bedevilling the existence of individuals and as nicely impeding the nation from striding, as its ought to, in the direction of progress.

Extra so, poverty can also be a contributing consider hindering youth of Nigeria from pushing it into progress. Because the inhabitants of the youth is on the rise by day, so is the speed of poverty and low lifestyle within the state. Which made the socioeconomic situation of the nation so unfavourable and likewise enhance the speed of crimes by eroding the ethics of youth to contain into prison offences that grasped the safety and peace of the nation by the necks. With corruption and the appalling failure of governments to furnish employment to the youths as its important duty the youth are being incapacitated by poverty.

Despite all, there are fairly vary of great roles the Nigerian youths can play within the emergence of a brand new Nigeria, when a due consideration is given to their significance in socio political and financial facets by the federal government and the society, because the youths are forces to be reckoned with in each facet of the federal government.

What can succinctly be mentioned to be the genesis of all of the roles the Nigerian youths can play in constructing their nation is training, for less than training can provide them eyes to see beyonds pricks, invoke the spirit of patriotism in them, and as nicely make them trustworthy, idealistic and hardworking with a purpose to conceive revolutionary concepts and foster constructive modifications.

One other vital manner the Nigerian youth can play roles within the emergence of a brand new Nigeria is by changing into a social entrepreneur with a purpose to develop their very own options. On this regard, the non-public sector, authorities and civil society ought to additional assist the youths in offering an enabling setting for social entrepreneurship. This might make them self dependent and as nicely contribute within the financial improvement of the nation by creating job alternatives and supply of earnings.

Moreso, younger folks ought to cease being marginalised from the mainstream of politics, and for use as flame to ignite violence and disunity by some political elites of their attainment of energy. They need to fairly be given room to have interaction in core political actions and take part in choice making. When given alternatives to take part they’ll foster constructive and lasting modifications of their group and still have higher sense of belonging.

Youths may play an important function in the direction of uplifting Nigeria each economically and socially by involving in agriculture. Having seen the appalling enhance within the charge of unemployment yearly, ensued to the manufacturing of inundating variety of graduates yearly into civil service workplaces, the place there may be little or no room, and the way the nation is being threatened by insecurity of meals because of decrease manufacturing and better consumption. When youth are actively concerned in agriculture they’ll reduce the speed of unemployment by fairly massive p.c and likewise guarantee meals safety, which might advance the financial stability.

Above all, youth ought to set up unity and cooperation amongst themselves with a purpose to contribute within the emergence of a brand new Nigeria through exercising the facility of unity and collective actions.

When a radical heed is payed to the foregoings, the innate potentials of the youth could be tapped and used within the achievement of the whirlwind emergence of a greater and new Nigeria.

Expensive brothers and sisters! Governments in any respect ranges on this nation ought to spend money on constructing the capability of our youths for them to contribute valuably to Nigeria’s progress.

Nigerian youths are energetic, idealistic and decided to work towards nationwide improvement however they require an setting that’s conducive to attain that.

Failure to offer an enabling setting for the youth, the nation must be prepared for the results, which is probably not palatable.

Nigeria has a big proportion of youths within the inhabitants, a considerable quantity that can not be ignored. The common Nigerian youth is energetic, idealistic and decided. What the youth requires is a conducive setting to construct its capability and contribute valuably to Nigeria’s progress and prosperity. However the place that is missing, then, we should always all be prepared for the results which is probably not palatable.

Younger folks had performed crucial roles in Nigeria’s democratic course of and their presence in management positions brings modernity and innovation of their service.

There are additionally a number of worldwide devices to encourage us along with current authorized and regulatory mechanisms that require us to make sure the complete participation of Nigerian youths within the continent’s democratic course of.

All reward is because of Allah, Lord of the worlds. Could the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), and upon his household, his Companions and his true followers.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of: Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah Mosque; and Late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene Mosque, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He might be reached through: gusauimam@gmail.com; or +2348038289761.

This Friday sermon (Jumu’ah Khutbah) was ready for supply right this moment Friday, 04 Safar, 1446 AH (09 August, 2024).