By Kelvin Obambon
The National Youth Council of Nigeria Cross River State Chapter has hosted its much anticipated Couch Session 1.0 in commemoration of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary.
The event which took place at the Apostle Senator Bassey Edet Otu Youth House in Calabar Tuesday, heralded a call on youths in the state to harness their potential to the fullest so that they can become useful to themselves and contribute positively to societal growth.
The session provided young people with a platform to revisit Nigeria’s historical journey, juxtapose it with present realities, and chart a course for informed decision-making toward the future. It served as a reflective dialogue space where youths critically examined their role in nation-building.
Happening side by side with the Stakeholders and Volunteers Meeting, the programme combined retrospection with strategy, ensuring that conversations translate into actionable plans for youth empowerment and sustainable development.
According to the State Chairman of NYCN, His Youthfulness, Comr. Emmanuel Olayi, the session was greatly insightful and provide opportunity for young people to not only celebrate Nigeria’s 65 years of independence but also take responsibility for defining the next 65 years.
He said the NYCN-CRS Couch Session 1.0 stands as a testament to the NYCN’s unwavering commitment to building a generation of youths who are governance-ready, innovation-driven, and prepared to shape the destiny of Nigeria.
“The couch is the beginning of a series. A series where young persons in Cross River State will call our leaders, will call authorities, engage with them, political conversation that will bear result. Today we have with us the Rt. Hon. Hilary Bisong, who is a third term member of the House of Assembly.
“This session is a critical session for us as a council, and we have carefully selected today, the 30th day of September, to come together to discuss Nigeria. For us as a State Executive Council, we feel that we should move from just being more in number, to being more in value as young persons in Cross River State.
“The journey of Nigeria is a journey that started 65 years ago. And the National Youth Council of Nigeria was created by an act of Parliament in the year 1964. And so the Youth Council is 60 years, Nigeria is 65 years. And so the conversation that should emanate from the Youth Council at this time should be quality conversation. If Nigeria is 65, the age 65 by reason of service to fatherland should be the age of retirement.
“At the end of the day, we should be able to come up with a shift in our thinking. I would like to end by saying that when we came on board, our desire as a state executive council is that this Youth Council should move from the place of existence to a place of productivity where we can contribute to the economy of Cross River State, if not by money, but by what we can do for the state.
“I am happy to share that the current government, ably led by His Excellency Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, is answering our questions one day at a time. We gathered recently to talk about productivity, we gathered recently to talk about inclusion, we gathered very recently to talk about synergy. Three or four days after, the government, through one of the ministries, empowered 400 young persons, to the tune of 800 million Naira.
“To me, that’s the answer to the questions we are asking. And very recently, yesterday, I was at the Tinapa Resort, where 100 young persons were empowered, with 360,000 Naira and laptops, after quality training. I feel that they are answering these questions one day at a time. Of course, you are aware that as young persons, our requests can never be enough. We keep asking, because we are wired to give advice,” Olayi said.
The keynote speaker, Rt. Hon. Hilary Bisong, reflected on Nigeria’s journey to nationhood, highlighting some of the challenges which he believes the youths, given their numerical strength, can surmount. “We are not the leaders of tomorrow; we are the oxygen of today. Without us, this nation suffocates,” he said.
Addressing the youths in Cross River, Bisong said “we must lead by example. We are the state of tourism, of Tinapa dreams, of Obudu mountains, of Calabar carnival that colors the world. But tourism is not enough. Our youths must become tech leaders, farmers with modern tools, digital storytellers, cultural exporters, entrepreneurs, and political reformers.
“Cross River youths must refuse to be used as political thugs when they can be political thinkers. Refuse to be statistics of unemployment when they can be architects of innovation. Refuse to be silenced when they can be the megaphone of a renewed Nigeria.
“My friends, tomorrow is tired of waiting. Tomorrow is today.”
Panelists featured in the Couch Session 1.0 included Prince Edward Osim (Prince 7) and Engr Maurice Nkong, SA Public Communications, Office of the Chief of Staff to the Governor.
