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NACOMYO urges government to engage youths in decision-making processes

By Shakirah Adunola
05 February 2021   |   3:05 am
The National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO), Lagos Island Zone, has urged the government to create opportunities for youths to participate in politics and decision-making processes.

NACOMYO Lagos Island General Secretary, Yusuf Taiwo (left); Coordinator, Sulaiman Olaotan; Amirah, Balqees Tejdini and Naibatul Amirah, Mar’yam Aderounmu during NACOMYO biannual conference in Lagos.

Ushers in new leaders

The National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO), Lagos Island Zone, has urged the government to create opportunities for youths to participate in politics and decision-making processes.

The group stated that the disenfranchisement of young people in decision making contributs to the high rate of crime.

Speaking during NACOMYO’s biannual conference, on the theme, ‘Security and Challenges,’ to usher in new leaders of the organization in Lagos, the group coordinator, Sulaiman Olaotan, said the responsibility of taming crimes lies largely with the government.

He added that unemployment, poor health facilities, inadequacies in skills and education and lack of support for entrepreneurship do negatively affect youth economic engagement.

According to him, “The absence of an enabling environment has led many youths into cultism, thuggery, drug abuse and so many social vices.

“For any society to grow, the government needs to take care of the youths by providing basic amenities, jobs, empowerment and soft loans with no interest.”

While expressing concern over the growing spate of insecurity, tension in southwestern part of the country, he said lack of a functional justice system is the root cause of the tribal clashes.

“The challenges we are facing in the southwest now came up due to lack of justice, fairness and equity. In Islam, there is what we call justice, and if there is justice in the system, nobody will claim one ethnic group or religion because the justice system will address all issues. Injustice in society has resulted in religious bigotry, ethnic war, insurgency and many more.”

The General Secretary, Yusuf Tajudeen Taiwo, said the association had impacted positively so many lives despite the emergence of the pandemic.

“As part of the efforts to tackle unrest in the society, we do engage youths in a lot of activities, like mosque cleaning, medical outreach, debate and quiz competitions for students.

He added that the organisation also engages in so many empowerment projects. “During the lockdown, we distributed palliatives to the general public, and we gave out WAEC, NECO, JAMB forms to intelligent underprivileged students.”

He advised the incoming leaders to consolidate on the achievements of the outgoing executive members, and urged religious organisations to use advocacy to tackle the menaces.

“Religious organisations have limitations when it comes to tackling vices in the society due to the fact that they are not security agencies, but advocacy will go a long way in tackling the vices.

“Preaching and admonition in religious houses will go a long way in tackling the security threat in the society, likewise catching them young through advocacy programmes will surely curb the menace in the society. Our constituency is not in the mosque; it is in the street. So, we have to be street-wise and move with the people. We cannot sit in the mosque and expect people to come to us; we must go out to the street and engage them,” he said.

The Ameerah NACOMYO, Lagos Island, Balkis Olaide Tejdini, said the organisation was doing a lot to educate and impact Islamic knowledge into female Muslims in the society.

“The organisation has done a lot to impact the Deen on Muslim children, most especially in Lagos Island, where youthful exuberance is high. We do organize usurah, sister circle for the youth to educate them on the rudiments of Islam. We also lay strong emphasis on their mode of dressing,” she said.

Meanwhile, the group has elected new members of executive for a period of two years.

The newly elected executives include the Group Coordinator, Sulaiman Olaotan; Deputy Coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Salau; Dep. Coordinator Admin, Alhaji Ibrahim Salau; Asst. Admin, Bro. Saheed Hamzat; General Secretary, Yusuf Taiwo; Asst. General Secretary 1, Kaothar Agboola; Asst. Gen. Sec. 2, Mahrufah Balogun.

Others are Financial Secretary, Maryam Jumah; Treasurer, Yusuf Noah; Public Relations Officer, Galadima Nurudeen; Public Relations Officer (Female), Balqees Yusuf; Welfare Officer, Abdul-Jelil Awwal; Welfare Officer (Female), Latifah Oyelowo; Murshid, Ustadh Sulaiman Aweda; Deputy Murshid, Imam Kosoko & Shittu Quadri; Dawah Officer, Idris Adeleke; Amirah, Balqees Tejidini; Naibatul Amirah, Maryam Aderounmu; Ex-Officio I, Alhaji Shakir Raji; Ex-Officio 2, Modinat Bakare.

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