Mbah Urges Enugu Youths to Embrace Innovation, Acquire Relevant Skills

…Says young people must become creators of solutions, not just consumers

By Venica Uchechukwu, Enugu

The governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has urged young people to embrace innovation, expand their knowledge and acquire relevant skills to enable them to contribute meaningfully to societal development.

Mbah said the youth must see themselves not merely as beneficiaries of government policies but as active participants in shaping the future through creativity, entrepreneurship, leadership and problem-solving.

The governor made the call while delivering the keynote address at the 20th anniversary public symposium of Pleasant Gathering International, held under the theme, “Building Sustainable Communities Through Leadership, Service and Innovation.”

Represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Barr. Lloyd Ekweremadu, the governor said his administration recognized youth development as a critical component of sustainable growth and had therefore invested in schools, teachers, technology and experiential learning.

He described human capacity development as one of the most important forms of infrastructure any society could build, stressing that education must go beyond the acquisition of certificates to equip young people with practical knowledge and skills.

According to him, the experiential learning approach being introduced in Enugu State is designed to prepare students to make meaningful contributions to society rather than merely obtaining academic qualifications.

“Education in Enugu today is designed to help young people think, create, innovate, solve problems and become productive members of society.

“Our aspiration must be to raise a generation of young people who are not merely consumers of what others have created, but who possess the confidence and knowledge to develop solutions to the challenges of the world we live in,” he said.

Mbah maintained that young people should not be regarded simply as beneficiaries waiting for the government or society to provide opportunities for them, but as development partners capable of becoming innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders.

He also urged the convener of Pleasant Gathering International to sustain its commitment to youth development, strengthen partnerships and translate its vision into measurable outcomes that would positively affect young people and their communities.

In her remarks, a Federal High Court judge, Justice Mabel Seun-Bello, urged young people to discover their potentials, develop their abilities and build the confidence required to succeed in leadership and other areas of endeavour.

Speaking on the topic, “Leadership, Accountability and Transparency,” she stressed that effective leadership begins with personal development, noting that individuals must first build themselves before they can successfully lead others or transform institutions.

According to her, confidence in one’s abilities is essential to developing competence, while personal growth provides the foundation for meaningful public service and institutional transformation.

“A leader cannot build others when he or she is not built. You cannot build institutions when you are not committed to developing yourself. You cannot transform an organization if you are unwilling to be transformed,” she said.

Justice Seun-Bello explained that achieving success requires deliberate personal transitions, including identifying one’s potentials, investing in their development, acquiring specialized knowledge and applying such abilities to create purposeful impact.

She added that young people must remain focused on developing their strengths and directing their abilities towards goals that would benefit both themselves and society.

Earlier, the President of Pleasant Gathering International, Barr. Joy Ogbonnaya, said the organization had remained committed to youth development and social transformation since its establishment.

Ogbonnaya, who spoke with journalists on the sidelines of the event, said the organization’s interventions were aimed at positively transforming the lives of young people in Enugu State and beyond.

She described Pleasant Gathering International as an international partnership organization with consultative status with the United Nations, adding that the 20th anniversary symposium was designed to promote community development through leadership, service and innovation.

According to her, raising a generation of focused young people with a clear sense of purpose would contribute to the emergence of responsible and effective leadership.

“If we are able to raise youths who are fully focused and purposeful, then we are getting closer to having better leadership, if not the best,” she said.

Ogbonnaya called on individuals, government agencies, health professionals, employers, training institutions and donors to support youth development initiatives and contribute to building stronger, more sustainable communities.

She stressed that achieving meaningful transformation required collective responsibility, sustained partnerships and deliberate efforts to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and opportunities needed to fulfil their potential.