Inspired by the clear resolve of Hon. Prince Idris Balogun( Oluomo Kafata) an All Progressives Congress aspirant for Alimosho Federal Constituency, to take people out of penury thereby reducing poverty index in the world,the ECOWAS Youth Parliament has bestowed on him “Mandela Youth Awards Man of the year”.
The delegated official all the way from Gambia who came to give the award to the recipient in Alimosho, Ambassador Mam Sowe, Gambia hinted that they were all out for someone whom without holding any political office is using his hard earn income to empower the less privileged.
“It is not unconnected with the fact that African Leadership has failed us, so we have decided to laise with people with good intentions and minds, who are willing to take Africans out of the poverty that our crop of leaders have put us in.
In the past we’ve given this award to people who have taken public offices and left,they have not done much to really impact the masses positively.
“When my Chairman sent me the invite, I told him if it is one big politician I will not be part of it but when he sent me his profile and I went through it,I said okay this is someone who has not been in any political office but has been helping his people, the down trodden, then no problems if I come here to tell him that he has the support of the African youths not that of the people of his immediate constituency alone.
“That if everybody can emulate his style,people using what God has blessed them with to better the lots of many,then I have no problem coming all the way from Gambia.
“The poverty level in the Gambia is almost the worst in the whole of West Africa if we had somebody like Hon.Idris Balogun in the Gambia it will have been better.
“I will take this home to tell my people that this is somebody who had never held a political office and he is doing so much for his people to an extent that they cluster around him with a radiance of hope.
According to the delegate, eminent Nigerians and world leaders, who have also been recipients of the prestigious award in past includes; Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, (Nigeria), Former President Helen Johnson (Liberia), Ghana Presidents and notable people across West African continent.
In his own words, Ambassador Williams a Nigerian Youth representative from Cape Verde, who was one of the delegated officials said,”we have monitored youths that have being involved in humanitarian act toward Youths in Alimosho and Nigeria as a whole, we found out that Prince Oluomo have made impact in many lives, including the struggles for a better future, these gave us the urge to confer on him the Ecowas Youth “MAN OF THE YEAR”.