“Keeping Youths Out of Trouble Via
Creativity” – Rotimi Odejayi
Rotimi Odejayi is a student of
Computer Science, UI Ibadan, ICT Officer at Lead City University, Ibadan and the Author of “DARE TO PONDER”
Who
is a “Youth”?
The
Youth is the period between childhood and adult age…Young people considered as
a group.
What do we mean by “youth”? Culled
from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization –
(UNESCO) Website.
“Youth” is best understood as a
period of transition from the dependence of childhood to adulthood’s independence
and awareness of our interdependence as members of a community. Youth is a more
fluid category than a fixed age-group.
However, age is the easiest way to
define this group, particularly in relation to education and employment.
Therefore “youth” is often indicated as a person between the age where he/she
may leave compulsory education, and the age at which he/she finds his/her first
employment. This latter age limit has been increasing, as higher levels of
unemployment and the cost of setting up an independent household puts many
young people into a prolonged period of dependency.
When carrying out its Youth
Strategy, UNESCO uses different definitions of youth depending on the context.
For activities at international or at regional level, such as the African Youth
Forum, UNESCO uses the United Nations’ universal definition.
The UN, for statistical consistency
across regions, defines ‘youth’, as those persons between the ages of 15 and 24
years, without prejudice to other definitions by Member States. All UN
statistics on youth are based on this definition, as illustrated by the annual
yearbooks of statistics published by the United Nations system on demography,
education, employment and health.
For activities at the national
level, for example when implementing a local community youth programme, “youth”
may be understood in a more flexible manner. UNESCO will then adopt the
definition of “youth” as used by a particular Member State. It can be based for
instance on the definition given in the African Youth Charter where “youth”
means “every person between the ages of 15 and 35 years”.
In Nigeria, it is generally believed
that youngsters that fall between 18 years and 35 years are youths.
For Nigeria, the life expectancy of the World Health
Organisation Stats (in 2011) as culled from Wikipedia.org for male is 52 years
and 54 for females. Nigeria is ranked 180th in the world out of 193
along with Cameroun and Burundi. Affirming that there are many youths in
Nigeria.
The Influences on Youths come from different quarters. These
include: The (Hostile) HOME, Peer Pressure, The Media (What They Watch on
Electronic Media e.g. Television Stations), The SOCIETY and Advancement in
Information and Communication Technology ICT. Though these Influences Have Some
Positive Effects on The Youths, Their Negative Impacts Outweighs Their Positive
Effects Thereby MakinG The Paths (or Ways) of Youths through destiny
fulfillment Generally Slippery.
One good way to save the Nigerian youths from entering into
trouble is to gainfully engage them. This could be done by organizing
Youths-Workshop for them (for example, we are holding a Youths-Centered
Workshop “CREATE” here in Lead City University, Ibadan this Friday). Besides, the
matured ones amongst we Youths can get involved in Community-Development
Service. This is possible through volunteering.
The last way to help save the
Nigerian youths from getting into trouble is for them to be involved in
profitable ventures. And this is possible when you acquire skills. Recall that
“Skill” is equal to Knowledge Plus Ability. You must gather knowledge by going
to acquire knowledge in schools, artisan-workshops, online and in Specialised
Programmes. It must be noted however that having skills is not enough, that
skills must be married with Creativity. The OXFORD ENGLISH Mini-Dictionary, the Fifth Edition defined
the word “creative” to mean “involving creation or invention; for an
individual to show imagination and originality.” A creative youth for
instance is one who comes up with a newest invention breaking out of the
existing status quo. What our nation and the world at large is looking out for
are creative youths…so they can be celebrated. The challenge before us today as
youths living in a digital world is to be courageous enough to create as well
as be creative. The world is looking out for an innovator, please will you be
one? Please “Don’t be satisfied with
stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth through your
creativity’’ – RUMI
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