A TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT UMARU MUSA YAR’ADUA

It is God’s ordainment that every living soul shall one day taste death. And after death, the journey to eternity commences.

On May 5th, 2010 Nigerians woke up with the news of the demise of the Immediate Past President and Commander-in-Chief of the Army Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Late Alh. Umaru Musa Yar’adua. The news was traumatized and its effects gripped all the four corners of Nigeria. To quench the effects, the Federal Government of Nigeria instantaneously announced a public holiday for the same day and a seven-day mourning in a dignified honour of the departed soul.

It is on this note that the Honourable Speaker, leadership of the Parliament and all the 109 distinguished Honourable Members of the Nigerian Youth Parliament are sympathising with his family, the Nigerian youths and all Nigerians, both at home and in diasporas, on the sudden death of our amiable former President. His true-to-the-heart and historic efforts towards repositioning our dear country among comity of nations on the pedigree of sustainable political and socio-economic developments of Nigeria will ever be remembered down the memory lane. The man was known for the rule of laws, institutionalisation of a process in the direction of credible Electoral Reforms in Nigeria, restoration of a lasting peace throughout the country (especially, the once troubled Niger-Delta region), establishment of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Vision 2020-20, Seven Point Agenda, etc. Notwithstanding the political “cabal”, games and stories surrounding his health conditions until his death, we still uphold the impeccable records of the achievements of the former President of the multi-ethnics, multi-religious and over 140 million Nigerians.

As a man like every one of us, he was bound to make some mistakes in discharge of his duties to his Creator and his fellow human beings. We pray to The Almighty Lord to forgive him of his inaccuracies and accept him to His most rewarding status in the Paradise. Amen and amen.

Farewell, His Excellency, Late Alh. Umaru Musa Yar’adua, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR) of Nigeria. Nigerians really lost you!!!

PRESS RELEASE!!!

“NO” TO TACTICAL EXPULSION OF NIGERIAN YOUTH FROM CONTESTING FOR POSITIONS AT THE NIGERIA’S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

The Nigerian Youth Parliament is a youth legislative platform inaugurated by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Umaru Yar’adua, on the 25th of August, 2008. The parliament consist of 109 distinguished Youth Legislators from the Senatorial districts of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in which Youth legislators from the three  Senatorial districts in Osun State are actively representing the youths of the State.  The Parliament is a medium through which Nigerian Youth are being involved in government’s policy formulation at the national level.

In line with the present situation of the Constitution Amendment in the country, we want to make our stand known to the public on behalf of the peace-loving youth of Osun State, upon whom we stand proxy at the floor of the Nigerian Youth Parliament.

Just last week, the Federal House of Representatives amended 40 out of the 44 clauses presented to it in a report submitted by the Hon. Usman Nafada-led House Committee on the Constitution Review. While in session on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 the Honourable Members voted and agreed on a lot of issues such as on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), cross carpeting of political office holders, independent candidacy for elections, etc. Of almost concern is the resolution of the House to tactically stampede the Nigerian youth in national political participation. On the faithful day, the House resolved that the AGE limit of a contestant for an election into the Nigeria’s Federal House of Representatives should be increased from 30 to 35 years. The Senate had earlier resolved while considering the report of its Committee on Constitution Review that the AGE limit of a contestant for an election into Senate should be increased from the present 35 to 40 years. Meanwhile, the AGE limit for an election to the national assembly is as contained in the Section 65(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. This clause is the one that the two chambers of the national assembly have agreed to amend.

In our view and in accordance with the known international best democratic practices, we want to make it public that the resolutions of the two chambers on this issue are worrisome, uncivilised, undemocratic and anti-youth development. And that the step is tantamount to cause violence and chaos in the country. Likewise, we want to state it unequivocally that through our political offices at the national assembly, coupled with enabling environment, adequate man power training and state-of-the-heart exposures, we can compete favourably with our peers all over the world and also contribute our quotas towards nation building and meaningful national development. If given the opportunity, we will proof some of the wrong assumptions of some leaders in this country that the present crops of youth are inexperienced to paddle the canoe of this country to greater heights. In addition, we are using this medium to advise the 36 State Houses of Assembly to take note of this matter and reject, in its entirety, the harmonised resolutions of the national assembly on this issue.

Kofi Annah, Ex- Secretary General of UN, once said, “No nation is born a good citizen; no nation is born democracy. Rather, both are processes that continue to evolve over a lifetime. Young people must be included from birth. A society that cuts itself off from its youth severs its lifetime.” They must let the Nigerian youth grow to their God-given prominence. Enough is enough of sit-tight syndrome!!!
Yours-In-Nation Building,

Signed:
Hon. Isiaka Olamilekan Popoola
For Osun State Representatives
MAY 4th, 2010

OSUN STATE YOUTH PARLIAMENT: INAUGURATION OF COMMITTEE

On Wednesday, November 18th, 2009, a congregation of Osun State youths paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, at his office under the auspices of the Osun State Representatives at the Nigerian Youth Parliament. The epoch event was used to inform the Executive Governor of the programmes of the Nigerian Youth Parliament and to chart a new course for the development of youths in the State.

At that occasion, one of the requests that were put before the government was the establishment of the OSUN STATE YOUTH PARLIAMENT, in which the Executive Governor agreed to and promised to implement as soon as possible. Early this month, we were informed, through a letter issued from the Ministry of Information & Youth Development and dated March 9th, 2010, that the Osun State Government has approved the establishment of the Youth Parliament. Part of the letter read thus: “I am directed to... inform you that the State Executive Council has approved the establishment of Osun State Youth Parliament. The Parliament is to, amongst others, foster national unity and provides opportunities for sharing of experiences through peer learning...”

Today, March 16th, 2010 the Committee on the proposed Youth Parliament was inaugurated at the office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information & Youth Development, Government Secretariat, Osogbo, Osun State. The eleven-member Committee is headed by Mr. Ayo Ojekale, the Director of Youth Development at the Ministry of Information & Youth Development while other members are: Alh. Yakub A. Oni (National Youth Council of Nigeria), Hon. Isiaka O. Popoola (Nigerian Youth Parliament), Mrs. O.O. Ahcle (National Youth Service Corps), Mr. Olawoyin Esho (Osun State House of Assembly), Mrs. O.A. Apoeso (Ministry of Justice), Mr. W.A. Oyebanji (Ministry of Education), Mrs. O. Alowonle (Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development), Mr. Abiodun Ajayi (National Orientation Agency), Mrs. A.A. Ojekale (Ministry of Information & Youth Development) and a person from the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation.

As presented in his keynote address, Dr. Olumide Babatunde, the Permanent Secretary, informed the Committee Members that ”...you are saddled with the responsibilities of screening and selecting thirty-one youth from all the local governments councils in the State, including the Ife-East Area Office, Modakeke-Ife.” He continued, “...the would-be members of the State Parliament must be a citizen of Osun State between 18-30 years with a minimum of Secondary School Certificate or its equivalents, must not have been convicted of any criminal offences and must not belong to any secret cults.”