Imoke Floats A Foundation For Youth Development

CALABAR, July 11, (THEWILL) - Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has launched a foundation to provide an excellent avenue for young people to achieve their full potentials as future leaders and create positive change in their lives and communities.

Speaking at the launching and unveiling of the logo of the foundation known as “The Bridge Leadership Foundation” at Studio Tinapa; Calabar as part of activities marking his 50th birthday, Imoke disclosed that he did not want the occasion as a celebration of his life, but more of meaningful assemblage where he would give something more to the youth of the nation.

According to Imoke, the foundation is expected to re-institute lost values which Nigerians had enjoyed until the oil boom era of the early eighties, explaining that during that time things were better and there was a vibrant middle class even though Nigeria was poorer then than now but had values and priorities.

Imoke noted that “children and young people cannot understand anything about Nigeria which has been lost as it will take a long time to bring it back”, adding that today, the young ones clamour for political offices and this has created a near crisis situation among them.

The governor averred that the future of the country lies in knowledge so that same opportunity should be given to the young people and those who acquire knowledge through quality education should give back to the society and that is why he thought of the foundation, emphasizing that it is aimed to put in place real opportunity to the young people in order to add value in their lives.

He noted that the challenges youths of today are facing were not there before and the foundation provides opportunities for them to compete with their contemporaries from other countries and if they can achieve that, it will affect their lives and a difference created, stressing that the foundation should not be seen as a political nor government owned but an independent institution.

The President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, while unveiling the logo of the foundation described former President Olusegun Obasanjo as a guardian, tutor and mentor that handed the baton of exceptional qualities to Imoke, who is hardworking and exhibits high leadership quality, adding that the foundation is what the people want and not the amount of money put into it but commitment and the approach into it.

Mark expressed that the time has come for people to live by example as Imoke cannot stand corruption and his expectations are high which means he should put in more effort into the foundation.

The coordinator of the Bridge Leadership Foundation, Ini Onok, in an introductory remark, explained that it is a non-profit leadership and monitoring foundation committed to building generations of young people educated to become compassionate, entrepreneurial and engaged citizens who are empowered to take responsibility for their own lives and for making a difference.

Onok disclosed that it seeks to address gaps in the provision of practical leadership model, for young people and thus provides a platform designed to inspire, motivate, mentor and empower young people to achieve their best, adding that the platform aims to implement a mentorship model which offers a diverse corps of young people an opportunity for sharing knowledge and experience, professional guidance, greater, greater initiative, increased independence and self reliance.

On its vision, she said it is, “a community of inspired, equipped and influential young leaders, who lead themselves and others” while it values include integrity, character, hard work, excellence and service to community, adding that it will be independently managed, formal structured with institutional frame work.