The Ikenga Think-Tank, North America, has called on Nigerian youth to awaken to their historical responsibility and play a greater role in shaping the nation’s future.
In a statement issued by its representative on Tuesday, Dr. Dankwu Agbambu, the group described the younger generation as heirs of a proud heritage whose voices and actions could transform Nigeria and Africa at large.
“Youth of Nigeria, arise! Remember who you are,” Dr. Agbambu declared. “You are not a people without heritage, nor a generation without roots. Your ancestry is ancient and divine. You are the descendants of greatness, the builders of civilizations, the heirs of wisdom carried through the ages.”
According to him, Nigeria’s challenges—including insecurity, poverty, and corruption—should not discourage young people from demanding justice and accountability.
“What do we see today?” he asked. “A generation with such promise too often reduced to silence in the face of hardship.
“History reminds us that our people endured oppression and overcame. If those before you resisted and triumphed, why not you?”
He urged the youth to stand together against forces that divide the nation or stifle freedom of expression, noting that leadership, responsibility, and courage are needed now more than ever.
“All around you, poverty is used as a weapon, division is sown among communities, and voices of dissent are silenced,” he said.
“You cannot claim to be heirs of greatness while allowing corruption and injustice to thrive unchallenged. You cannot speak of freedom while your generation’s potential is caged.”
Dr. Agbambu also made reference to the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, describing it as symbolic of a wider struggle for justice.
“Whether or not you agree with his methods, his plight is a mirror of the larger struggle for fairness and accountability,” he said. “His chains symbolize the silencing of your collective voice.”
Calling for peaceful and constructive action, the Ikenga Think-Tank encouraged young people to rise above fear and apathy, to demand reforms, and to contribute positively to nation-building.
“You are the fire of this age, the hope of tomorrow,” Dr. Agbambu stated. “Do not betray your birthright. Do not forsake your future. Rise and reclaim your destiny. Rise and demand accountability. Rise to build a nation where peace, justice, and dignity reign.”
He urged the youth to realise that they “are the wildest dream of your ancestors. Your destiny is not to bow, but to lead. Not to perish, but to uplift nations. The hour is now—arise, Nigerian youth, and claim your future.”
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