Nigeria’s telecom service provider and youth-friendly brand, 9mobile, has lent its voice to the global call for collaboration among generations to build an equitable, peaceful, and prosperous society while emphasizing the importance of building a society that encourages more youth representation.
The telco made the call while marking this year’s International Youth Day themed, “Inter-generational Solidarity: Creating A World for All Ages”, during an Instagram live session, hosted by Olorisupergal and graced by Ace comedian and actor, Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome (Ali Baba), to discuss the relevance of youths in the society.
According to Akpobome, to promote inter-generational solidarity in society and bridge the gap between the older and younger generation, the culture of shared values must be entrenched to accommodate both the young and the old at home and in the workplace. This would promote the convergence of understanding on the need for mutual respect among all.
He said: “Tolerance and understanding is a way to strike a balance between age groups. The older generation must have an open mind to today’s realities in dealing with the differences in values and behaviour of today’s youths. In other words, tolerance, respect and culture are the prerequisites for dealing with the culture shock among the elderly and the younger generation.”
Noting that there is an urgent need to create platforms where youths can be properly and productively engaged in order to harness their God-given potential for the benefit of society, Akpobome added that youths must be well represented in the affairs of politics, education and the economy.
Commenting on the significance of the theme, Executive Director, Regulator, and Corporate Affairs, 9mobile, Mallam Abdulrahman Ado, noted that for a society to experience progress in its developmental goals, the youths must be engaged and adequately empowered to be leaders and problem solvers. He said, “At 9mobile, we are a youthful brand and very particular about the growth and development of young people because they are the future we see today and as such we must encourage and give them a sense of belonging which will invariably inspire them to thrive and contribute to the sustainability and growth of the society.”
He called for stakeholders to be more strategic in driving initiatives that promote inter-generational solidarity, embrace youth inclusiveness and guarantee a peaceful and progressive world for all.
International Youth Day is designated by United Nations to highlight issues affecting youth and draw the attention of the international community while also celebrating the potential of youths as partners in today’s global society.
