By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
A don, Dr Azeezat Adebayo, has urged leaders in all spheres of live to mentor adolescents and young adults in order for them to imbibe positive values that would guarantee a bright future.
Adebayo of the Department of Islamic Law, University of Ilorin, made the appeal on Monday at mentorship training for 75 youths organised by the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) in Ilorin.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme tagged: “Youth and Challenges Of Modern Age in the Dynamics of Politics,” is a replication of the National Zonal Youth camp of FOMWAN recently held in Ekiti.
“Considering what is happening in the society nowadays, parents have to be extra vigilant and closer to their wards to guide them towards the right path.
“Islam has solutions to all problems. Take insecurity, economic downturn, climate disaster, robbery and corruption, rape, kidnap, among other challenges we are confronted with.
“We must engage the youths as future leaders to learn from the mistake of the current generation, understand challenges so as to be able to proffer solutions to the problems,” she said.
The don underscored the importance of youth engagement by scholars, adding that the youths should be fully trained on how to apply workable solutions to challenges thereafter.
“We just need to indulge them to speak up, engage them because it is by engaging them that they will learn the language of their time to be able to communicate effectively and become reasonable adult in future,” Adebayo said.
Also speaking, Hajia Nimat Labaika, the Kwara State Amirah of the association, explained that FOMWAN annual youth camp was a platform for social interactions, learning and mentorship for youths.
“It is one of the strategies designed by the association to mobilise, sensitise, educate and groom our youths to become role models and be good ambassadors.
“It is a way of catching them young for organizational sustainability as well as a call to parents and relevant stakeholders to pay attention to our youth and support them to actualise their potentials,” she explained.
Earlier in her welcoming address, Hajia Bilqees Oladimeji, the Coordinator of the Kwara FOMWAN Youth Camp, said the state was given a quota and this afforded the association to host 75 youths from the three senatorial districts of the state.
According to her, the programme is spiritually inclined to educate the young ones according to Islamic injunctions and how to become role models and contribute positively to the country.
She said the training would enlighten the participants on responsibility, peer groups and ills of the social media and how to utilise it positively.
Highlight of the activities includes lectures by expert on breast cancer and voter education.(NAN)
