An Ibadan-based cleric, Bishop Jide Orire has attributed the incidents of insurgency and renewed pro-Biafran agitations in some parts of the country to the massive youth unemployment in the nation while urging the Federal and state governments to urgently evolve enduring policies to tackle the social menace headlong.
Bishop Orire, the General Overseer of Save and Serve Christ Family Church made the submissions in the Oyo State capital at the Ministry’s 11th annual camp meeting urging the Government to avert unnecessary crisis in the country by handling the agitations with ‘cautious force’.
He also stressed the need for the authorities to eradicate illiteracy in Nigeria by giving top priority to education of the masses particularly the itinerant Bororo Fulani cattle herdsmen to put a halt to the recurring crisis between them and their host farming communities.
Bishop Orire declared: “Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder and President Muhammadu Buhari should see all these as challenges. To avert crisis and unnecessary bloodbath in Nigeria, the Government should re-strategize in its handling of socio-political agitators by engaging them in dialogue and being less forcefully confrontational. Government should also have more compassion for Nigerian youths and urgently formulate youth-friendly policies to reduce youth unemployment in the land.”
The cleric spoke further: “The raging problem of mass unemployment is making many youth in Nigeria to turn to crime and other anti-social activities. The notorious issue of Boko Haram, armed robbery, 419, ritual killings, etc. would not have blossomed to their present ugly level if youths in the country are gainfully employed.
”To get out of the problem, Government should urgently place top priority to the faulty social infrastructure including unstable power supply across the country and re-orientate the youths to be more creative by embracing vocations and place less emphasis on elusive white-collar jobs.
“Nigerian youths should also be more diligent and shy away from crimes andtheir get-rich-quick syndromes.”
On the Government’s anti-corruption war, Bishop Orire commended the present administration for being committed to the crusade but charged government to be more transparent by telling Nigerians how much has so far been recovered and how such recovered fund is being spent.
“Specifically, government should invest such recovered fund on roads, social infrastructure and other avenues that could effectively generate youth employment across the country,” he remarked.