The convener of the Bayelsa Youth Leadership Award (BYLA), Comrade Atti Joshua Moses, has called on political leaders in the state to actively involve young people in governance and development, not just during election campaigns.
Speaking at the 9th edition of the BYLA ceremony in Yenagoa, Moses said Bayelsa’s youths possess the skills, creativity, and energy needed to drive the state’s growth if given the opportunity to participate meaningfully in decision-making and policy implementation.
“The youths are not only tools for elections. We have a lot to contribute to governance and state-building.
Carry us along, and you will see the difference we can make,” he said, urging that youth inclusion should be a year-round priority.
This year’s event honoured 28 young Bayelsans for excellence in agriculture, sports, entertainment, entrepreneurship, governance, leadership, academics, and activism.
The award, which began in 2017, is held annually on August 10 to mark International Youth Day.
Some non-youth advocates were also recognised for their support of youth causes.
Moses praised the resilience of young achievers despite limited resources and urged his peers to be self-reliant, channel grievances constructively, and embrace advocacy over violence or protests.
He encouraged them to avoid social vices and focus on community development, stressing that such efforts would advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) locally.
He also challenged politicians to stop limiting youth engagement to campaign periods, noting that Bayelsa’s future depends on harnessing the creativity and resilience of its young population.
