From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Ahead of next year’s general elections, General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries (OPM), Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere, has said the country currently needs a youth as president.
Pastor Chinyere stated this after he was recently conferred with the Pan African Role Model Humanitarian Icon and African Union Ambassador Award by the African Union (AU) Economic, Social and Cultural Council, in Abuja.
The cleric encouraged well-meaning Nigerians to assist and empower the youth in their localities and beyond, for a better society.
He, also, disclosed how he was able to rescue some youths who were engaged in different insidious act.
“I believe that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow. If the states and federal government can concentrate on the youth like what God is using me to do by empowering the youth.
“We have a multitude of skills acquisition centres where we teach them different skills; pipeline welding, scaffolding and get them jobs overseas and assist them.
“I believe this nation is built on the youth. If the youths are empowered, the nation is empowered.
“More than 10,000 youths have been trained through the OPM foundation and now they are entrepreneurs. We have them in different fields.
“If my type can be replicated in different areas and concentrate on doing what I am doing we will lift them out of poverty. Currently, I have more than 500 youths which I collected guns from them and handed over to the police. I am now training them.
“They are no longer into kidnapping. I feed them them twice a day. I gave them accommodation. So, if it can be replicated in different areas, I believe we can achieve, if not 90% but 100%.
“The youths should take over the helm. If you look at France, the President is young. The only way this country can move forward is for the youth to take over the helm of affairs instead of leaving the affairs to ancestors,” he said.
In his address, the 1st-Nigerian Representative, Permanent General Assembly of AU-ECOSOCC, Tunji Asaolu said Chinyere was awarded because he has distinguished himself in different fields of endeavour.
Aside the award, Asaolu announced that the body also appointed Pastor Chinyere as African Role Model.
“We are appointing you as an African role model because it is exactly what you are. We are doing this because we want other people to actually emulate you.
“Imagine if we have more Nigerians doing like you across the country, particularly encouraging people to surrender their guns.
“I am sure kidnapping will drastically be reduced and the environment will be safer for all of us; this is the Pan-African spirit we are reawakening.
“The Pan-African spirit is fast eroding and we are trying to reawaken that mindset.
“You are also an AU Agenda-2063 ambassador to promote the implementation of the set goals,” he said