Follow Us on Google
By charging teenagers to stay rooted in God and take responsibility for their growth, the CEO of EMADEP Petroleum Exploration & Production Company Limited, Adebowale Olujimi, last Saturday, set the tone of the 2026 edition of the annual Teens Conference hosted by the RCCG, The Everlasting Arms Parish (TEAP) Garki II, Abuja. Mr. Olujimi, who delivered the keynote speech virtually, urged the youngsters to make good use of their hidden but foundational years to develop excellence in character, build skills, build identity, and cultivate meaningful relationships before stepping into the limelight.
I had the honour of attending the last year’s event through the invitation of the initiator of the programme and a senior friend, Olusegun Adeniyi. And I witnessed when Olujimi pledged to partner with the church in organizing the event in subsequent years. It is therefore an interesting mark of integrity that he kept his word in the just concluded 10th anniversary of the conference.
The theme of this year’s event, “Rooted for Impact” is spectacular and well-timed. It addressed the soaring moral crisis and the erosion of values driven by a clash of cultures in this era of rat-racing globalization. Nonetheless, that we still have committed people who are passionate about inspiring youngsters with positive role models means that all hope is not lost.
Ms Elizabeth Ekpenyong, the Head of TEAP junior church, posed the rhetorical questions that wetted the ground: What does it mean to be rooted? Rooted in what? Rooted for what? What are you becoming, not just what you want to become? Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole who fired the first shot through her aide, did not disappoint. She said that everything that we admire in life has its roots from the ground. Nothing stands up without going downwards. There are no fruits without roots. Hence, she urged the teens not to feel left behind or that nobody recognises their efforts, noting that though the roots are unseen, the process of growing deep inside the ground is necessary for upward mobility.
She urged the young people to resolve the God-question early in life. Using Daniel as an example, she noted that though he was a captive in a strange environment, culture, and terrain, yet he resolved in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat. So, identity issue must be clear.
Second, she talked about the ‘root of depth’ – which she defined as mastering a skill, going deep into it and not growing wild by it. The third point was categorised as the ‘root of impact’. She explained that anybody who engages his/her mind on ugly things that do not edify or, wastes his time in watching unwholesome contents on phone, can scarcely live an impactful life like the biblical Daniel. The fifth point was what she called the ‘root of people’. She urged the teens to build a team, find mentors and more importantly, have a circle that adds value. The sixth area where she advised the youngsters to develop interest is in service through volunteerism, community service, and helping someone that may not have the capacity to pay back. The Honourable Minister maintained that while it is true that she is a product of grace, she puts in a lot of hard work whether anyone is watching or not and cautioned against taking grace as a license for laziness. For her, skills and character are door openers but attributing one’s successes to God is a critical lifeline.
Another speaker, Mrs. Chinyere Eyoh, the Founder and CEO of the Sexual Offenses Awareness & Response (SOAR) Initiative shared the touching story of her traumatized childhood; she was raped, sexually abused and sexually assaulted in her pre-teen and teen years. She suffered addictions too, but over time, she overcame the mental anguish by renewing her mind and getting rooted in Christ. It was that bitter experience that led to the formation of the non-profit since 2011 to help the victims to speak out and overcome the stigma. Through the platform, she has reached out to 80,000 children and 700 survivors of rape and addiction. Thus, such ugly situations, she reiterated, could be a raw material for finding one’s purpose. She cautioned against dwelling in the past. “You cannot stop a black bird from flying, but you can stop it from building a nest,” she said. She encouraged the teens to make good friends and refuse to draw strength from people’s validation. Finally, “before you pray for influence, ask God to help you to get rooted in Him,” she concluded.
The last session was handled by the charismatic young minister, Pastor Philip Olubakin who urged the young people to seriously pay attention to the secret part of their lives. He hinged his five analyses around the life of a tree. One, no matter how far a tree grows, it will never leave the ground. Thus, he charged the teens to always remember God as their roots. Two, as the roots of a tree grow deeper, the tree also grows tall. Three, a tree grows in the direction of sunlight. Referring to God as the sunlight, young people were admonished to stay connected to God. Four, a tree never eats its own fruit. He urged the teens not to think that they are the sole beneficiary of God’s grace in their lives. They should use them to impact lives. Lastly, he affirmed that a tree in a forest bears as much fruits as a tree in the city. Therefore, the motivation for fruitfulness should not be popularity. “A tree never leaves where it is planted. There is no moving tree,” he said. The Pastor’s summation was that young people must stay rooted in God for continued relevance in life and ministry.
Indeed, the Pastor-in-charge of TEAP, Dr. Evaristus Azodoh and his amiable wife, Ngozi, deserve commendation for sustaining this vision. This stuff of engagement should be escalated to rebuild our national values for the next generation of secular and ecclesiastical leaders.
