By Femi Ogunshola
The African Youth Resource Centre (AYRC) has shortlisted Mr Edward Onoja, the Deputy Governor of Kogi; National Assembly members and other eminent Nigerians for the 2022 African Youth Role Model Prizes.
The Director- General of the Centre, Mr Ben Duntoye, said this in a statement in Abuja on Friday.
Duntoye said that the event was organised in commemoration of the 2022 International Youth Day as set aside by the United Nations.
He said that Sen Sadiq Umar, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business and
The Commandant-General, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Dr Ahmed Audi, also made the list.
The director-general said that Dr Beta Edu, the APC National Women Leader would also receive the prize.
According to him, others to be honoured include Hajia Muheeba Dankaka, Chairman, Federal Character Commission, Mallam Mustapha Ahmed, Director General, National Emergency Management Agency.
Among those to be honoured are Rep. Babajimi Benson, Chairman House Committee on Defence, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria.
Duntoye said that the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim and Chief Mike Ejiogu, the Managing Director, Citygate Homes Ltd. would be part of the awardees.
He said that all awardees for the African youth role model prize were persons of proven integrity, who had excelled tremendously in their chosen careers.
He added that the awardees had distinguished themselves as role models to the youth especially at this critical period where there is a dearth of credible role models to provide quality leadership orientation.
He said that the AYRC also took into cognisance the contributions of the respective awardees to youth empowerment over the years.
Duntoye said the event with the theme: “Positive Youth Engagement, towards Peaceful General Elections in Nigeria,” would assemble the leaderships of various frontline youth associations and emerging political leaders in Nigeria.
This according to him includes major and relevant state and non-state actors in the youth development sector in the country and members of the diplomatic corps.
He said that various youth organisations had earlier nominated over 113 outstanding personalities that had positively influenced youths within Nigeria and Africa for the Prize.
He said that their names were submitted to a Special Screening Committee set-up by the African Youth Resource Centre.
He said that the list of nominees was eventually reduced to the very few iconic role models that would be honoured at the 2022 edition of the National Youth Stakeholders Forum.
Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, the Director-General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, is expected to be the guest speaker for the event slated for Aug. 12. (NAN)
