Zamfara Governor, Bello Muhammad Matawalle, yesterday, raised the fear that the country was on the brink of collapse urging youths to rise and salvage the situation.
He stated this at Arewa House, Kaduna, shortly after he received the “Icon of Youth and Student Development” award conferred on him by the leadership of Northern Youths and Students Forum.
Represented by Kabiru Amadu Mai Palace, lawmaker representing Gusau/Tsafe Federal Constituency of, Zamfara in the House of Representatives, Matawalle tasked Nigerian youths to join politics and be more active in decision making processes to resuscitate the country.
“I am a youth like you and it is high time we participated more in politics. We have no reason to hide; this country is about to collapse and the only way forward is for the youths to rescue this country. There is need for our youths to involve themselves more in politics. If we look at the population of this country, the youths are the majority. So, it is high time for more youths to come out and participate in governance so they can move the country forward,” he said.
The governor cited the lack of co-operation among Nigeria’s youthful population as bane to their political aspiration saying some of the challenges in cost of forms and finance could best be solved with youths at the helm of affairs of political parties and positions.
“Our challenge as youths sometimes is ourselves; youths discouraging youths. If our youths can come together, with our number as voters, we can lead the country from the presidency down to the counselorship. If our youths are actively involved in politics, they will become party executives and as such will be able to determine the cost of sale of forms at very affordable rates,” he said.
Matawalle said since his assumption of office on May 29, 2019, the state had made a tremendous investments in education and youth empowerment programmes to safeguard and guarantee the future of the next generation.
On insecurity, he said he inherited most of the challenges he’s battling, but that he has cut down significantly on some of the issues of insecurity since he became governor.
The governor said he initiated peace talks with farmers and pastoralists which yielded positive results. “Our top priority in zamfara today is the issue of security and we are working and achieving results on daily basis,” he said.
Secretary-General, Northern Youths and Students Forum, Aliyu Ahmad, described Matawalle as a highly intellectual personality, mentor and role model who has been contributing tremendously towards the development of northern Nigeria’s youths and students.
“Our award is a kind of appreciation and encouragement for the services you have rendered towards the development of northern Nigeria. You are an outstanding governor of northern Nigeria,” he said.
