A WELCOME NOTE BY THE CONVENER OF YOUTHS EARNESTLY SEEK SOLUTION (YESS), DR. NELSON OBINNA OMENUGHA, ON THE OCCASION OF A SYMPOSIUM TO MARK THE 3RD ANNIVERSARY OF YESS HELD ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2022 AT THE HOLLYWOOD EVENT CENTRE, AWKA

Protocol

It is with profound joy and deep sense of fulfilment that I sincerely welcome you to today’s event marking the 3rd anniversary of our great movement, Youths Earnestly Seek Solution (YESS).

I feel delighted that we have been able to witness this day; a day that will remain memorable for a long time to come given the deep significance of what we have gathered here for. We thank our dear Governor, Benefactor, Leader and Mentor, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR for coming through to mark this day with us. Ofcourse, it’s his day and ours is to celebrate him today and always. We welcome and thank in every special way, Anambra illustrious sons and distinguished fellows who have left their numerous engagements to be with us to co-create and co-claim ideas. Our dear keynote speaker, Chief Barr Osita Chidoka (Ike Obosi), the Chairman, Chief Barr Alex Ejesieme (Obodo G), our resourceful discussants and indeed, every one of us.

Youths Earnestly Seek Solution (YESS) is a grassroots youth advocacy group formed on July 28, 2019 with the initial primary objective of galvanizing support for the emergence of Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo as the Governor of Anambra State in November 2021 Gubernatorial Election, hence we started with the name Youths Earnestly Seek Soludo. For a little more than two years, we worked tirelessly to realize this immediate goal. We went through the length and breadth of this state and beyond, preaching the Soludo gospel. Eventually, through the Grace of God and massive goodwill and support of Ndi Anambra, that lofty goal has now been realized.

Following this development and the consequent need to follow-up the electoral victory with grassroots mobilization to ensure the success of the new administration, YESS changed its name to Youths Earnestly Support Soludo. However, given that our mission is a very broad one that pursues development of society through inclusive youth mentorship and empowerment, we have also adopted an alternative and concurrent name, Youths Earnestly Seek Solution – Soludo is Solution and our target is to join hands with Governor Soludo to find solutions to our challenges and live up to the slogan – The Solution is here.

Thus, far from resting on our oars after the APGA governorship victory in the 2021 election, we in the YESS movement have continued to build our structure, expand the scope and reach of our activities, appraise and reappraise our philosophy and goals, as well as continuously review our performances with a view to improving on them. We are getting stronger and ever poised to make bigger impacts on our society.

It is in furtherance of this objective that today’s event also features the presentation of our book, Partners in Development: An Advocacy Document for Youth Development in Nigeria. It is a document birthed through an extensive process which involved rigorous research, wide consultation with relevant youth groups, and interfaces with other critical stakeholders. The book presents in summary the philosophy, principles, targets, and strategies which we in YESS believe should undergird the pursuit of youth development in Nigeria. Also, we would formally unveil 300 youths currently enrolled in various skill empowerment scheme, including solar system installation, and serving, CCTV installation, Computer Networking and ICT training, Business Solution programmes and so on. We have also enrolled and partnering the State Government to migrate 20 visually impaired youths from analogue to digital operation. This is the first of its kind in the Southeast and inspired by the letters of the People Manifesto for Greater Anambra. We thank benefactors and partners of this youth empowerment training. The book publication and public unveiling of the empowerment training programmes today represent a very significant phase in our effort to continuously partner, contribute to and take concrete action towards youth development in Anambra State and Nigeria in general.

I therefore, on this note, invite you to identify with this effort as well as with the overall mission of YESS by generously donating in support of this publication being unveiled today. Funds raised will be invested towards furthering several empowerment programmes of YESS including the proposed Garri processing industry, Palm oil mill and skill acquisition programmes in diverse areas such as agriculture, computer coding and renewable energy services – all targeted at building a dynamically skilled and well-motivated youth population as well as creating employment and wealth, and generally contributing to the building of our dear state and nation.

It is important to stress that identifying with YESS is identifying with a project for progressive youths. It is an endorsement of a vision for a great nation. With great pride I can firmly state that in YESS we are profoundly redefining youth participation in politics. By shunning bread and butter politics as well as rub-my-back-I-rub-yours syndrome, which have, over the years, condemned our nation to a rentier enclave where good and progressive governance has been murdered, YESS has been demonstrating that politics indeed can be a wholesome endeavour, a patriotic vocation, where one is called to sacrifice self-interest in order to advance common goals. Therefore, in YESS, we are changing the narrative, accentuating the politics of stake-holding where everyone assumes personal responsibility as a partner in nation building as against seeking self-aggrandizement through shortchanging the governance process.

Lastly, let me once more welcome you all our distinguished guests. Today is indeed a special one and we are happy. I urge you to sit back, relax and savour every moment of this august occasion, just as I also wish you safe journeys to your respective destinations at the end of the day.

Thanks for your patient listening and may God bless you.

Nelson Obinna Omenugha, PhD
YESS Convener &
Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Empowerment Programme