"Live up to your full potential through acting on the guidance of honesty, kindness, and respect. Carry on with confidence and be guilt-free while standing up for what you believe in. Seek the positive attributes of the people around you, while pushing them to new heights. Never forget that learning is a continual process that should be welcomed with open arms. Change is inevitable, so grow from it. Laughter relieves stressful situations. Listen intently to the people around you, but close your ears to pessimism & negative people. Show your family and friends how much you love them with your heart, mind, and body. Trust that things will work out in the long run, be positive and press on. Set goals and strive for them, but never forget where you came from, and who you are. Follow through!"

Young People remain the key to the emergence of the Information Society. Not only are they the main figure but they are undoubtedly the players of this dynamic.

In achieving the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), youth involvement in this new revolution must be taken seriously. As young people are the link between today & tomorrow.

The Information Society has become one of the major strategies of achieving the MDGs...
Furthermore,It has been argued overtime that there can never be an Information Society without sustainable Healthcare Delivery Systems,& Equitable access to Education (which remains one of our greatest problem(s) in Africa).

The Information Society presence is yet not well-felt in this region of the globe. The much profound problem of Digital Divide is very much in our midst (here in Africa). At the ongoing WSIS PrepCom II, it is believed that Youth Caucus members from Africa will do us all proud by persuading our respective Governments to take up real actions in bridging this DIVIDE.

It thus becomes imperative for the continent-state of Africa to rise to the occasion.

I received a mail yesterday acknowledging my successful application for an Internship with the World Youth Alliance (WYA).

It will be my first "debut" out of Nigeria. Not anywhere but to the Big Apple, & the Capital Seat of the United States of America.

Just for a period of 3 months :) My Hard Work & Determination is proven to enhance results, with an unreserved luck which comes from the Almigthy; from whom all good things come.

The rationale of youth involvement is not only different, it is intriguing, compelling, and exciting: Bill Gates, & Paul Allen were 19 when they founded Microsoft. Marc Andressen was 20 when he began work on Mosaic, the Internet browser that gave way to the World Wide Web. And down to our Philip Emeagwali who was 35 when he invented a formula that let computers perform the fastest computation work; an invention that led to the re-invention of supercomputers.

o A key demographic with unique problems

Young people are the greatest natural resources, bringing to task intelligence and creative energy in effecting positive change. Unfortunately, youth in Nigeria remain fully untapped and explored. Making them to assume an unforeseen status as End Users.

Ignoring that youth is different from adulthood contributes to the increased marginalization of young people from the Nigerian Society. Millions of young people remain unemployable, and moreover those employed suffer from the “hands” of low wages and poor working conditions. Sad to say, youth unemployment is expected to soar the higher in the next few years.

o Youth-led action


Youth are credible and effective partners when they are inclusive. Unfortunately youth in Nigeria have become a major vessel of violence and destruction; from Ife-Modakeke Crisis through to the Kaduna riots down to the Miss World Controversy they have been extremely proactive. Most Nigerian Youth are scared of what tomorrow will bring. They are perturbed and follow who ever plays the devil’s advocate; thereby turning to Political Thugs & Ethic Bigots. How to re-direct these actions remains the BIG question?

Despite all these, certain percentile of young people have played a prominent role in the campaign against HIV/AIDS, and worked tremendously in bringing positive change through various sustainable projects and initiatives. The Nigeria Information Society Youth Network is also providing cohesive input into the national preparatory process for the World Summit on the Information Society: A drive that will ensure the reflection of the Nigerian Youth’s dream in the emerging Information Society.


o Better leaders for tomorrow


Upholding human rights in every country between present and future generations is recognized as a fundamental base of sustainable development. Youth as future leaders of Nigeria need to be recognized as valuable contributors, encouraged and empowered to participate in the decisions taken today about the country they would inherit and pass on to the future generations.

Involving young people in this new dynamic and in all process of decision and policy-making develops their skill to become engaged citizens in the society. Meaningful participation in this new revolution will increase youth’s sense of belonging and develop their skills. Shifting public action from implementing projects for youth to providing youth with support to bring about this change on their own provides an avenue for entrepreneurship, the strengthening of the civil society, and a real sense of achievement.


o Youth involvement for better results


Involving young people in this new revolution is not only good public relations; it is good public policy. Young people do not expect to be given a perfect country instead they want to contribute to make it that way.

It is high time for us as young people to take the bull by the horns and exert force that will take Nigeria from this present inertia and launch pad it on the path of action and relevance. Remember, young people can be particularly powerful partners, mobilizing support and bringing time, energy, innovative ideas and a new perspective to the table.