Keynote Address by the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu [Sarkin Yakin Keffi] to commission the Dadin Kowa Ultra Modern Youth Center, Jos, on Tuesday, February 7th 2001.

 

 

I consider it a rare privilege to be invited by my dear brother and colleague, Governor Joshua Dariye, to witness the opening of this well-conceived and well-executed project in service of the most important segment of our people, the Youth.

 

Jos, as most of you may already know, is where I have spent the most active part of my life. Whether as a citizen, as a businessman, as a public servant, or as a politician, Jos has been the epicenter of my journey through life. I truly love this city.

 

I love its climate and excellent weather. I love its romantic terrain and hanging rocks which are the joy of all who know and have lived in this city of my youth. I believe Jos is a natural heritage of all who truly appreciate nature, not only for its beautiful terrain, but even more so for its friendly, jovial and peaceful people. This invitation, to me, is therefore a call to homecoming.

 

Beside my personal experiences, the people of Plateau and Nasarawa states are members of the same family. We have been together for so long. Our family which dates back to colonial times, journeyed together through independence to the former Northern region, to Benue-Plateau state of our beloved and visionary Joseph Gomwalk of blessed memory, down to the old Plateau state of our great emancipator and frontline leader of the Middle Belt, [or North Central as others may prefer to call it], Chief Solomon Daushep Lar.

 

Our experiences have been so intimate that the creation of Nasarawa State can only be regarded as the extension of the family in the true African tradition of the extended family system. Our compounds have become two, but our family remains one. That is how we in Nasarawa state regard our relationship with Plateau state. We are therefore happy to be back home for this important and landmark ceremony in the service of the youth of Plateau state.

 

I am particularly happy because anything done for the progress of the youth is for the future of our Nation. Whether we like it or not, whether we accept it or not, the youth are the future, and the earlier we prepare for their orderly development, and safe take-over from us, the much better for the future of our country.

 

Life, as philosophers have defined it from across the ages, is a relay race. The duty of all of us in this interminable race, is to ensure that we run our course excellently and responsibly, and hand the baton safely and firmly over to the future generations to continue with the progress of the human race. As leaders and elders, our most sacred duty is to ensure that we hand over to a generation that is not only better than ours, but is prepared to do much better than our own to ensure a prosperous future for our children’s children.

 

I congratulate my dear brother, Governor Joshua Dariye, himself a leader of our new club of under 50 youthful politicians. I believe the successful completion of this ultra modern youth center is of immense service to the youth, and indeed the entire people of Plateau state. Our youth need all the necessary facilities they can get to develop body and mind, and to acquire the necessary skills they need to cope with life in the new information society. National development is impossible without the skillful deployment of the boundless energies of our youth. This is indeed a step in the right direction.

 

Permit me therefore, your Excellency, distinguished guest, ladies and gentlemen, to call on the entire youth of Plateau state not to disappoint their government, but rather to utilize the facilities provided in this center to improve themselves, and to contribute to the development of the state. Facilities of themselves do not lead to results. It is the commitment to use them towards the set objectives that lead to results. I call on you all to use them carefully and skillfully towards a better future for your state.

 

It is gratifying to note that this ceremony is coming just a few days after the conclusion of the National Youth Summit which the President hosted in Abuja last week. The import of the summit and the new policy adopted was the resolution to intimately involve our youth in all facets of national development. The PDP administrations all over the country are committed to ensuring full participation by our youth in all socio-political processes to deepen and secure our democratic transition.

 

The youth everywhere should know that the current emphasis on their development and involvement is made possible by our new democratic environment. You must therefore show keen interest in working with your elected representatives at all levels to promote democracy and to protect the process from anti-democratic forces who seek to use the youth to undermine democracy through ethnic, sectarian and other senseless violence and discords.

 

I challenge the youth of Plateau state to cooperate with their Government to ensure peace without which nothing positive can be achieved. Where things go wrong in a democracy, the youth of course have a duty to make their point of view known; but this must be done in the most democratic and civilized tradition. Recourse to violence, verbal or physical, debases our humanity and degrades our democracy. Our youth should never allow themselves to be hired by anti-democratic forces to disrupt the new democratic order.

 

Finally, I congratulate Your Excellency for your vision and successful completion of this center. I am happy to be associated with this achievement for the youth of your state.

 

I wish you and the good people of Plateau a happy and prosperous new year full of peace and progress

Thank you all for your attention, and may God continue to bless our efforts.