The President General of the Orashi National Congress, ONC, and President of the Southern Youths Foundation of Nigeria, SYFN, Ambassador Comrade Emeni Ibe, JP, AP, has called on youths across Southern Nigeria and around the world to reject social vices and become responsible agents of positive change.
Amb. Ibe made the call in his message to commemorate the 2026 International Youth Day, celebrated globally under the theme: “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”
Describing young people as the strength, hope and future of every society, Amb. Ibe stressed that the choices youths make today will determine the kind of society they inherit tomorrow.
“My dear youths, do not allow temporary challenges to destroy your permanent future. You are too valuable to your families, your communities and your nation to be lost to social vices,” he said.
“The road of crime may appear attractive for a moment, but it often ends in regret, pain and a wasted future.”
The ONC President General urged young people to shun cultism, drug abuse, violence, kidnapping, internet fraud, political thuggery, pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities, warning that such vices destroy promising lives and rob the nation of its future leaders.
Instead, he encouraged youths to embrace education, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, hard work and community service.
“Your background must not become your limitation. Your present circumstance is not the final chapter of your story. Stay alive, stay focused, learn a skill, acquire knowledge and keep believing in yourself. There is a place for you in the future you are preparing for today,” Amb. Ibe stated.
The SYFN President further called on parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders, government institutions, and civil society organizations to invest more in young people and create avenues for their meaningful participation in nation-building.
He noted that empowering youth was not just a responsibility but a direct investment in peace, security and sustainable development.
Amb. Ibe also charged youths across the Southern region and the country at large to deploy their energy and talents to promote peace, unity and development, rather than allow themselves to be used to cause division and violence.
He congratulated youths across the globe on the occasion and expressed hope that the 2026 celebration would inspire a renewed commitment to building a generation of responsible, innovative and purpose-driven leaders.
“Happy International Youth Day to all Southern youths and young people across the world. May you find the courage to dream, the discipline to work for your dreams and the wisdom to choose the right path. Your future is worth protecting—do not trade it for a moment of pleasure or a life of crime,” Amb. Ibe said.