Foundation hosts conference to motivate, empower students

The Open Africa Foundation in collaboration with Forensic Insight and Submit Leadership Institute, on Tuesday, organized a conference for secondary school students in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The conference, themed, ‘Hope for Nigeria’, brought together 120 students from both private and government schools in Abuja. Briefing newsmen on the sidelines of the event, Tunji […]

The Open Africa Foundation in collaboration with Forensic Insight and Submit Leadership Institute, on Tuesday, organized a conference for secondary school students in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The conference, themed, ‘Hope for Nigeria’, brought together 120 students from both private and government schools in Abuja.

Briefing newsmen on the sidelines of the event, Tunji Aworinde, Chairman of the Open Africa Foundation, said the conference was organized to motivate students “growing in a very difficult environment”.

Aworinde said: “The greatest motivation for having this conference was the realization that our children are growing up in a difficult environment, and we came to the conclusion that it is appropriate to recognize these children, motivate and give them confidence, assuring them of our support on their journey, especially as teenagers, through their education and to motivate them to excel academically.

“For instance, we awarded prizes today to the best seven students out of 80 essays that were submitted.”

Francis Okogu, who represented the Drug Salvation Foundation at the conference, spoke of the role the foundation plays in society to curb the use of drugs by youths.

“If our young ones are ready to take their future seriously by saying ‘I don’t want to be an addict. I don’t want to fall along the line and see my classmates being successful in the future, using drugs or begging or doing things that I shouldn’t be doing.

“Then I must take that bold step to say, today, I’m going to stop any activity that might lead me to taking illicit drugs, or even having the urge to take drugs’. It’s very doable. Parents and teachers need to be involved. It’s a collective effort.”

Lantyo Joseph Jingri, a deputy director at the national headquarters of the national orientation agency (NOA), said: “Our take from the conference is that we should have hope in Nigeria. Also, our dreams as Nigerians can be accomplished in Nigeria. Therefore we we have contributions to contribute to building the Nigeria of our dreams.”