The 3-day Commonwealth Youth & Student Summit, hosted by the Nigeria Ministry of Youths and Sports, in partnership with the Pan-African Youth Union and numerous other national and international civil societies, kicked off today, Tuesday 9th May, at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja.
During the opening ceremony on Tuesday, Oladele Nihi, Vice President West Africa of the Pan-African Youth Union, gave a keynote speech centred on the importance of collaborative leadership for sustainability and development of the African continent.
Speaking on behalf of the Pan-African Youth Union leadership, Nihi advised the leaders present of their combined responsibility to empower the youth for sustainable development, urging them to assert meaningful alliances in order to harness the energy, creativity and skills of young people and channel them to a positive end.
He stated that with the right policies, investments, and partnerships, an enabling environment can be created to empower young people to lead change in their communities and beyond.
“Fellow African Youths, Let us not be limited by what we think is impossible. Let us instead push boundaries, embrace new ideas, and work collaboratively for change”, he advised.
Nihi additionally called for well-meaning collaborative actions through methods such as education, advocacy, business, or community engagement, stating that, “we can all make a difference in our own unique way.”
In tandem with the theme of the programme Co-Creating Our Common Future: Leadership in the Digital Age, Nihi called forth: “Dear youth, let us stand together, shoulder to shoulder, and work towards a brighter future for our continent. Let us embrace the challenges that lie ahead with courage and determination. Let us unleash our full potential through technologies of this digital age to make Africa a shining example of progress, prosperity, and peace for the world to behold.”
Consequently, the youth leader urged participants to take advantage of the ongoing COYSS initiative to learn, network, and engage with each other and implement the assimilated knowledge.
The Summit, which currently accommodates over 25 Commonwealth countries representatives, continues for two more days before representatives depart for their respective countries.