I am Comfortable With Governor Okowa's Appointments ---- Akpobi

Delta state Coordinator, Not Too Young To Lead, Mr. Elvis Akpobi, has given his nod on the appointments reeled out by the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.

Akpobi, who doubles as an aide to the Principal Secretary to the governor, Mr. Hillary Ibegbulem, in this exclusive interview with The Nigerian Voices' Kenneth Orusi, in Asaba, spoke on varieties of issues as it regards youths in the state.

Excerpt:
The governor has made some appointments, are you comfortable with the appointments so far?

I am comfortable with the appointments. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. You need people to put you on track, people to tell you that this is how things are done. If you have a government with 100 percent youths, you will see challenges, any small thing they will run to thegovernor.

When the appointments started coming, many people said Not too young to lead you have not said anything because you are eating from the system. Before now the appointees of last administration were almost 2000, for this one, I am not sure the governor has appointed up to 50 persons, and we will have almost 1000 appointees in this administration.

Why not be patient and see. It could be the governor is testing our patience. It takes more than being able to speak good English or just being an activist and all that. How you handle issues matters a lot. I got a lot of name calling from people. I think we should give the governor time. He is someone that promises and he will not fail. During the elections, youths came out to support the governor because they love his person.

Youths did not support the governor because of leaders but because they love him. If we look at some people we call leaders, we will not support the system.

I believe the governor will surprise us and for me. Some persons have already seen us, not too young to lead as failures. We need to be patient.

The governor earlier said he does not need apprenticeship in his government, what is your reaction?

I was there and the governor said this is not time for politics but time for governance. His government is not about apprenticeship but will have a large conglomerate of youths. This was what he said. These people already appointed are grounded in the job, they are not apprentices. I think the governor wants to mix his government with grounded persons and those who will learn on the job.

Some youths are very versatile, they have ideas, they have things to contribute but they have no godfathers to put a word for them. Do you think these youths will make the list?

If you are sound, you have capacity, you have ideas, it will show up. It only takes time. My dear, if you want a leader to pick you and take you serious, bring something to the table. It is more than snapping pictures and drop on facebook.

We are bleesed with a grassrooted governor. But this does not mean he knows everybody in the state who has capacity. But my advice to the youths is keep doing what you are doing. One day, somebody will pick you. Somebody that values capacity and potentials, God will use that person to elevate you.

It is not about carrying gadget, develop yourself alongside because a time will come they will not make a media man that does not have good accounting, a commissioner for finance just because you snap pictures for decades. When they start searching for people around but could not see good one, they will go abroad and bring somebody, you will now end up snapping that person again.

Alongside, lets build capacity and develop ourselves. Leaders also should help the younger generation that are around them. They should be the person that God will use to elevate the youths. Why must you always put interest in everything. I know there are youths out there that are feeling helpless and hopeless but keep doing your best, God will use somebody you never thought of to elevate you.

But I must say everybody cannot make it through politics. This is because everybody is now thinking it is only through politics you can make it. No!

What is your advise to youths who may have felt disappointed over the appoints?

My advice is that youths should have patience, the governor is a promise keeper. He knows that in this last election, majority of the success story came from the youths. It was youths that went to the field. We stood our ground. And the governor knows that. He will not let us down. All I am saying is that youths should be patient. Every father knows the plight of his son. He is a father, he has children, he will not let us down. I have this confidence that he will bring on board young persons with creative ideas, not people who will get appointment and make people stop appointing young people.

Some were appointed, they became so arrogant, no respect, No! We don’t want all that. We want people who have capacity and ideas. They should stay calm.

What is your definition of young persons?
Young persons should be between the ages of 25 and 35 years old. But these days, you will see people of 45, you see them as young persons, you see old men as youth leaders. An old men as SAs on youths.

We have young persons in Delta state who only need to be given opportunity to showcase their potentials.