2027: Group raises advocates for increased youth, women political participation in Ebonyi
By Oswald Agwu, Abakaliki
Preparatory towards the 2027 general elections in Nigeria, a youth-based non-governmental organisation, Community Outreach and Public Empowerment Foundation (COPE), has trained 30 Ebonyi youths to advance campaigns for enhanced youth and women participation in politics at the grassroots.
The youths, 10 from each of the three pilot local government areas of Ikwo, Abakaliki and Ezza South were trained and inaugurated as Community Youth Advocates to carry out advocacies, sensitization and other engagements aimed at promoting the statistics of youths and women in elective political leadership.
The training was organised with support from Nigeria Youth Futures Fund under the project, Women and Youth Political Participation, (WYPP) in Ebonyi State tagged: “Strengthening Democracy through Women and Youth.”
The training was held Saturday, October 4, at the Women Development Centre, Abakaliki.
Addressing the youths during the training, the Executive Director of COPE Foundation, Azubuike Mgbebu, lamented the domineering statistics of men and the elderly in Nigerian political environment, urging the trainees to work towards scaling up the number of women and youths through aggressive sensitization.
Mgbebu said: ” Of course, you know in Nigeria, women and youths are being sidelined, and the political landscape is dominated by the older men.
“You also know that youths have enormous potentials to make positive impact if mainstreamed into political leadership of the country to become decision makers.
“That is why we have taken up this challenge to equip you as community advocates to help advance this campaign in rural communities of your local government areas.
“I urge you to take this calling seriously in order to change the narratives and create a society where youths will rise up to take their proper place in governance.”
Participants were trained on National Values, civic engagement and involvement of youths and women in mainstream politics to be able to become part of decision making class in the country.
Speaking to newsmen, some of the trained advocates, including Emmanuel Nwite from Abakaliki, John Nweke and Rebecca Ekechi from Ikwo and Ezza South local government areas respectively, pledged to utilise the gained knowledge in canvassing for a more inclusive political environment in their areas.
They commended COPE Foundation for its commitment in uplifting the youths through capacity development, empowering them to be meaningfully engaged, and assured that they would continue to serve with diligence.
COPE Foundation is an organization committed to empowering, transforming and Strengthening vulnerable communities through innovative outreach Programmes, Education, healthcare and economic empowerment initiatives, fostering a culture of self-reliance, social justice and collective prosperity.
The Community Youth Advocates project is designed to last for six months.
This is An outreach program that will be an eye-opener to our youths and women in political participation, before now many believes that politics is made for a particular group of people, but thank God for this program that politics is actually the right of every citizen as far as you are up to 18yrs.