Prominent human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on Nigerian youth to take charge of the country's future and reshape its direction.
Speaking on Saturday at the sixth Annual Youth Leadership Conference held at the University of Lagos, themed ‘Resilience, Innovation, Social Responsibility and Entrepreneurship (RISE 2025)’, Falana emphasized that the nation's current state is a far cry from what it once was. He urged young people to step up and reclaim the nation, asserting that the burden of its present challenges weighs heavily on their shoulders.
He encouraged the youth to hold leaders accountable, especially those from his own generation, highlighting the contrast between the dignity of his era and the struggles faced today. "Our generation had genuine dreams for this country to become one of the world’s best, with our abundant natural and human resources. But what do we see now?" Falana asked.
He also advised youth to seek inspiration from legendary African musicians, suggesting that their messages can fuel the drive for justice and transformation. Falana dismissed the notion that Nigeria is a poor country, stating instead that it suffers from a lack of innovative ideas, not resources.
“You're often told you're the leaders of tomorrow, but you must first be leaders of today,” he said, encouraging them to reclaim the remnants of a once-promising nation.
Olusegun Odufuwa, the convener of the conference, described RISE not just as an acronym but as a powerful rallying cry. He noted that Nigeria stands at a crucial turning point, blessed with immense potential but faced with significant challenges from economic instability to governance issues.
Still, he expressed hope, emphasizing that the country's revival depends on its youth—those who are resilient, creative, socially conscious, and entrepreneurial. “If Nigeria is to rise, it must rise on the shoulders of such a generation,” he concluded.
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