Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has warned youths against allowing themselves to be used as instruments of political violence, stressing that no political ambition is worth the blood or life of any young person.
Nwifuru gave the warning on Wednesday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, while speaking at the grand finale of the 2026 International Youth Week Celebration organised by the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ebonyi State Chapter.
The governor, who was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Hon. Chidi Onyia, described the youth as the greatest asset of the state and urged them to prepare themselves for leadership and other opportunities through education, skills acquisition, discipline, innovation, entrepreneurship and hard work.
He said the increasing tendency to exploit young people for political purposes could only be reversed when youths developed the confidence, competence and capacity required to take advantage of opportunities whenever they emerged.
According to him, “the youth are the greatest asset of our state.”
Nwifuru urged the youths to reject the notion that they were incapable or unprepared to participate meaningfully in leadership, stressing that adequate preparation remained critical to determining whether they would successfully utilise opportunities that might come their way.
“My point is simple. How much are we prepared? Because I want you to be prepared so that when your opportunity comes, you are prepared,” Onyia quoted the governor as saying.
The governor challenged young people to move beyond dependence on political patronage by acquiring sustainable skills that would enhance their relevance in the economy, public service and governance.
“We have to move from the usual norm, from the normal political patronage,” he said.
Nwifuru maintained that political empowerment without corresponding skills, knowledge and capacity could not provide a sustainable future for the younger generation.
“Politically empowered means? Without any skills and tactics, is this sustainable? No. It is not, and it can never be sustainable,” he said.
The governor further cautioned youths against individuals and groups seeking to manipulate them against one another, particularly through social media, political propaganda and inflammatory activities.
“The fight now is no longer to assault us. The fight now is to use us to fight ourselves,” he warned.
He urged the youths to critically scrutinise information before consuming or disseminating it, stressing that social media should be deployed as a tool for constructive engagement, innovation, education and community development rather than abuse, character assassination, misinformation and unwarranted attacks on leaders and institutions.
Nwifuru also emphasised the importance of continuous learning and preparation in the pursuit of leadership, observing that many individuals currently occupying political offices did not begin their careers with the certainty that they would eventually attain such positions.
“Let us stay fast and let us continue to believe in this administration,” he urged, while encouraging the youths to learn from both the successes and mistakes of those ahead of them.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NYCN, Ebonyi State Chapter, Comrade Douglas Ochishi, said the 2026 International Youth Week provided an important platform for young people to reflect on their responsibilities in the development of Ebonyi State and the nation.
Ochishi, whose address centred on the theme, “Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Future,” said the council deliberately moved the celebration beyond ceremonial activities by undertaking an independent projects tour of selected development projects executed by the state government.
He said the exercise enabled representatives of the youth community to physically inspect and assess government interventions in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, human capital development and industrialisation.
According to him, “leadership is best appreciated not merely through promises, but through evidence; not only through speeches, but through visible impact.”
The NYCN chairman said the youth community had consequently resolved to speak from the standpoint of what it had personally observed and assessed during the projects tour.
He announced the council's endorsement of Governor Nwifuru for a second term, describing the decision as an expression of confidence in continuity, consolidation and the sustenance of the administration's development agenda.
“Accordingly, arising from our collective assessment and the outcome of the International Youth Week Projects Tour, the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ebonyi State Chapter, on behalf of the youth community, hereby endorses His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Bldr Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, for a second term in office,” Ochishi said.
He said the endorsement was predicated on the conviction that projects and policies initiated by the administration should be strengthened, sustained and completed for the benefit of the people.
“What has been built must be strengthened. What has begun well must be brought to completion. And what is working must be given the opportunity to work even better,” he added.
While commending the state government for its youth-oriented initiatives, Ochishi appealed to Governor Nwifuru to provide the NYCN with official mobility support and a sustainable monthly subvention to enhance the council's ability to coordinate youth activities across the 13 local government areas and 171 wards of the state.
He said such support would strengthen the council's capacity for grassroots mobilisation, civic education, peace-building campaigns, youth development programmes and timely responses to emerging challenges affecting young people.
Ochishi also highlighted some achievements recorded by his administration since his election on May 24, 2024, including the construction of an NYCN annex office, organisation of youth summits and International Youth Week programmes, youth sensitisation campaigns, anti-terrorism awareness campaigns, free medical outreaches and advocacy against social vices.
He called on Ebonyi youths to reject drug abuse, cultism, cybercrime, political thuggery and other forms of criminality, urging them instead to embrace productive enterprise, education, innovation and constructive civic engagement.
“Let us refuse to be used as instruments of political violence because no political ambition is worth the blood of any Ebonyi son or daughter,” Ochishi said.
He urged the youths to choose dialogue over violence, ideas over insults and productivity over idleness, stressing that the future would reward preparedness, competence and responsible citizenship rather than mere youthfulness.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Stanley Lebechi Mbam, challenged the youths to remain resilient, disciplined and prepared for opportunities, stressing that leadership and success were products of preparation, consistency, sacrifice and responsible conduct.
Mbam urged the young people to believe in their abilities and remain committed to personal development, noting that the quality of leadership available in the future would depend substantially on the preparedness of today's youth.
He highlighted transparency, accountability, active participation, respect for the rule of law and equitable service delivery as essential attributes of responsible leadership.
The commissioner also underscored the responsibility of government to create an enabling environment where young people could acquire quality education, develop marketable skills and access employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
He maintained that the future of Ebonyi State could not be sustainably built without deliberate investment in human capital, urging youths to remain actively engaged in the development process and support initiatives capable of improving their welfare and prospects.
Other speakers at the event, including the Special Assistant to the Governor on Road Maintenance, Comrade Ben Nwovu; an awardee at the ceremony; the Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Comrade Leo Ekene Oketa; the Ebonyi State Commander of the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS), Commander Larry Igwe; and former Minister, Chief Godwin Ogbaga, among others, described youth development as a critical investment in the future of the state.
They urged young people to use their productive years for self-development, capacity building, innovation and meaningful contributions to society rather than allowing themselves to be distracted by activities capable of undermining their future.
The speakers commended Governor Nwifuru for what they described as his administration's commitment to addressing youth-related challenges through empowerment initiatives, infrastructure development, education, skills acquisition, human capital development and opportunities for participation in governance.
They stressed that youth development should not be reduced to political appointments or financial empowerment alone, but should encompass access to quality education, employable skills, entrepreneurship opportunities, mentorship, technology, sports development and platforms for civic participation.
They also called on the youths to reciprocate government's efforts by embracing peace, protecting public infrastructure, resisting criminality and becoming productive contributors to the state's economy.
The speakers further charged the NYCN and other youth organisations to strengthen collaboration with government agencies, traditional institutions, religious bodies, security agencies, civil society organisations and the private sector to build a more coordinated framework for youth development and social stability.
A major highlight of the celebration was the presentation of awards to deserving citizens and stakeholders in recognition of their contributions to youth development and community advancement.
The ceremony attracted government officials, youth organisations, traditional and religious leaders, political stakeholders, development partners, security personnel, community leaders and other stakeholders who gathered to commemorate the 2026 International Youth Week.
The event provided a platform not only for celebration but also for dialogue on youth empowerment, leadership preparation, peaceful political participation, human capital development and the collective responsibility of the younger generation in shaping the future of Ebonyi State.
The organisers reaffirmed the need for sustained investment in young people, noting that a peaceful, skilled and economically productive youth population remained indispensable to the state's long-term development and stability.
