RAYMOND OZOJI reports
Anambra industrialist, Chief Dr. Sir Ikenna Okafor, has called on Nigerian youths to quit sitting on the fence but endeavour to develop creative mindsets to enable them to contribute meaningfully towards national development.
Okafor who made the call at a press briefing held in Awka to kickstart the Anambra edition of Southeast Campus Debate, said it was time for the younger generation to begin to think outside the box and deploy their talents, potentials and natural proclivities towards legitimate positive outcomes instead of complaining about the status quo.
He said that the Southeast Campus Debate which is sponsored through the instrumentality of some of his companies namely Keves Global Leasing Limited, Ideal Agro Allied Produce Limited makers of Afrirootz Foods and Idi Ezeani Nzekwuabuo Foundation, would be a veritable platform for the cross-pollination and cross-fertilization of ideas and opinions of young people as it concerns self-development for economic emancipation.
The renowned industrialist who recalled with nostalgia that he was one of the best debaters in his own time; winning laurels for his alma mater at quiz competitions, said that all the accredited universities in Anambra State have been invited to participate in the debate competition where fresh talents and future industrialists would emerge.
He explained that the essence of the debate competition was to get Nigerian youths to be involved in intellectual discourse to enable them to determine their future by themselves, stressing that he doesn't want youths to live on the unlived dreams of their forebears but identify pathways to success through meaningful engagements and discussions, adding that the debate would help the students to sharpen their intellect, overcome stagefright, identify opinions, know how to jaw jaw and not to war war.
The industrialist emphasized that Nigeria is in a situation where youths have been challenged to not sit on the fence but make their voices heard and decide how they want their country to be. He said that the Southeast Campus Debate Competition is a dream that is evolving and that its potentials are unquantifiable.
Okafor who extended a hand of partnership to members of the fourth estate for the success of the project, urged journalists to desist from reporting bad news but be part of the change process of getting the youths to redirect their thinking process and get involved in research and development.
He said there are a myriad of topics to be discussed and preliminaries of the debate would be held on 17th and 18th of October this year while the grand finale would be on 31st of this month. According to him, the rewards of the debate competition is eternal especially as it concerns building intellect and sharpening persuasive skills.
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