The Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, says Nigerian youths and not elders are responsible for most social vices and criminal acts prevalent in the society.
Umahi stated this on Friday while declaring open the 65th Emergency Senate Meeting of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) held at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki.
He identified cultism as a menace in Nigerian tertiary institutions, charging the association to initiate measures to stamp out cultism in the nation’s tertiary institutions.
He said, “The NANS leadership can decide that there would be no more cultism in schools and it would stand.
“The youths engage in cultism, robbery and kidnapping. Elders cannot kidnap or burn police stations.”
Umahi said that all hands must be on deck to fight the menace because of its harmful effects on society.
He described cultists as “weak people”, saying that they usually gathered to kill to protect their weakness.
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“You cannot see any energetic or intelligent youth engage in cultism. The number of cultists in our schools is few.
“It should also be mentioned that those who take delight in what murderers do are also hell-bound,” he said.
The governor, therefore, admonished students to shun killing, saying that “anyone that sheds blood will always have blood flowing in his generations”.
He commended the NANS leadership for acknowledging his administration’s strides in infrastructure development.
“Our projects are meant to protect the youths as future leaders.
“You must be focused, hardworking and courageous to address the several socio-economic challenges confronting the country,” he said.
Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Religion and Welfare Matters, urged the youths to look beyond government employment and focus on entrepreneurship.
“You should put God first in all you do and be committed to achieving your goals, in spite of all distractions,” he said.
The President of the students’ body, Mr Sunday Dayo, commended the governor for his unparalleled achievements in infrastructure development.
“The governor has motivated us to contribute in making Nigeria attain its developmental goals,” Dayo said.