UNITY OF PURPOSE ON THE PLATEAU AS IT AFFECTS THE COMING PYC ELECTIONS.

INTRODUCTION
Youth elections always come with intrigues, stiff competition,rivalry of interest,gimmicks and moves to outsmart other aspirants to emerge Victorious by all means necessary.
After the suspension of the Plateau youth council,the court case that lingered for years and it’s resuscitation by the Lalong led administration that ensured an election was conducted and a substantial chairman elected,the activities of youths on the Plateau came alive with the emergence of Dr Jemchang Fabong as Plateau youth Council Chairman.
Fabong and his team has set a pedestal and brought the youth council to fore,good enough their tenure is fast elapsing and fresh elections beckons to shop for a new chairman and exco to continue from where Fabong and his team will stop.
There is a cogent need for the youths of Plateau to be United in ensuring that only the best hands emerge regardless of sentiments, Political affiliation, ethnic or religious differences as the youth council is and should be the Voice box of all Plateau youths.

THE ISSUES
Plateau state is blessed with over 53 ethnic Nationalities ,God framed a model that will work inter-dependently ‘someday’ when all plateau People, especially the youths will come together under one umbrella and confront their challenges headlong without pushing blames with self-pity,to work together as one,to celebrate in victory and be sober in defeat,to truly stand on the line of struggle and in harmony of voices chant “An injury to one is an injury to all”.
There is no better time to talk about Plateau Youths uniting than this perrilious times of uncertainty, insecurity(As Plateau State is a target for attacks) and insorbudination by the sit-tight political class.
It is worrisome that the evident potentials of the talent,resource,intelligence and industrious assets of the average Plateau youth has not been harnessed and utilized in critical thinking and problem solving in matters that borders on development and growth of Plateau State.

It’s sad that the only time the youths are needed by the elites is every 4 years when it’s time to recruit political thugs,Social Media warriors,errand boys ,wailers and praise singers.

After elections are won and government is set up,the youths are given SA & SSA while the use and dump political class take the largesse of the hard fought campaigns and proceeds of setting up the Government.

Are we not tired of Praise singing? Are we not tired of gbemming,are we not tired of been used and dumped,Are we not tired of been used as online attack dogs? Are we not tired of the gossips and Pull him down syndrome?

Are the youths not tired of been polarized along political,ethnic and religious lines?
The only way out is for the youths to be United and face a common enemy.
The common enemy is Unemployment,Bad Economy, Divide &Rule,Greed of the elite and targetted attacks aimed at grabbing our land.

ABOUT THE PLATEAU YOUTH COUNCIL
Plateau State Youth Council (PYC) is the umbrella body of all youths on the Plateau irrespective of their political affiliations, tribal extractions or religious beliefs. As a pressure group, it’s the platform through which the concerns and aspirations and prayers of all youths on the Plateau had echoed through the ages.
Vision
To grow to be a Council with global best standards providing Empowerment initiatives, Employment opportunities, Engagement templates, Global services and products with core interest in Education for sustainable future for the youth without compromising integrity and hard work while leveraging on partnerships for development.
Mission
Our Mission is to prepare and inspire a new generation of young people for positive engagement and empowerment for sustainable future.
Through pooled partnership, advocacy, lobbying and cultural exchange, we shall create an atmosphere of tolerance, shared values, and mutual understanding; Preparing our teaming youths for global challenges and the future

The question is,has the Plataau youth council been able to unite and carry Plateau youths along in the discharge of it’s mandate as a unifying front and mouthpiece for all ?
What is the relationship between the youth council and the Government of the day in ensuring there is synergy to mandate the youths get empowerment, employment and engagement?
MINISTRY OF YOUTHS & SPORTS
The Ministry of youths and sports in Plateau state currently headed by the commisiomer for youths and sports Hon.Victor Lapang has earmarked some future plans on what the goverment want to do in partnership with the youth council;
VISION
To have vibrant youths with well developed potential for sustainable development in all sphere of life (economic, social and political).
MISSION
To harness the full potentials of the youth and to create a mindset, that is geared towards positive thinking, creativity and good leadership for self-reliance and sustainability.
FUNCTIONS
The Ministry is charged with the responsibility for organizing and co-coordinating youth development programmes with the help of other departments.

FUTURE PLANS AND (INITIATIVES)
Provision of Infrastructure, Renovation of three Youth Centers in Jos, Pankshin and Shendam.
To equip three Youth Centers in Shendam, Pankkshin and Jos for skills training in the following trades: –
Wood work training.
Barbing.
Hair dressing.
Tie and dye making.
Leather works.
Welding.
Training in GSM repairs, motor mechanics, ICT etc
Youth Empowerment.
Public Works: where youth and women will be employed to participate in the construction of feeder roads, culverts and general sanitation in the three senatorial zones.
Recreational Activities by the creation of sporting facilities in the three(3) Youth Centers.
It is a good Initiative from the government,but what do the youths of Plateau want as an entity?
We need to be united in ensuring that all what government promise to do for Plateau youths is achieved ,a united house will give us more results.

UNITY OF PURPOSE
Quote me, as I say, ‘Unity among Plateau Youths’, is our ability to to embrace each other, regardless of our tribe, ethnicity, political party, click, religion,camp, faction, denomination, department,faculty and schools, so as to pursue a common goal, which leads a roadmap to development’.
Unity is a panacea to our development and progress as Youths,The not too young to run will only remain a cliche if we don’t unite and speak as one.
For the youths in politics, make sure you join major Political parties as excos to send the sit-tight old-fashion folks home.it is Paramount the pressure groups as the PYC advocate the Inclusion of Nigerian students to the Nigerian Political Arena,
Uniting will make us Imbibe Cross-Cultural relation and National Values as the National Youth Council of Nigeria (N.Y.C.N.), by an act of Parliament in the year 1969 with the following aims and objectives-

1. To bring all voluntary youth organizations or its affiliates in Nigeria under one umbrella.
2. To discover youthful initiatives, talents aimed at enhancing national developments.
3. To embark on any other programs that will enhance peaceful disposition of the Nigerian youth.

. COMBATING HATE SPEECHES BY YOUTHS
The social media should be used for social good ,but Hate speeches flying from all angles and this causes disunity and disaffection amongsts the People.
Worst of all is that the youths who are worst hit by past mismanagement of our common wealth are the ones who are spear-heading these hate speeches and divisive campaigns, allowing themselves to be used by self-seeking persons.
There are no jobs, poor infrastructures such as roads, water, electricity, affordable houses, hospitals etc and instead of holding our leaders at all levels accountable for these, we are fighting for them while their children school abroad and our bloods are shed at every slightest provocation.
When will the youths across board learn their lessons, come together irrespective of our religious, ethnic and tribal divides and discuss the way forward for Nigeria.
That is to show that our problems are self inflicted and can be cured only by us.

PYC CHAIRMANSHIP 2020
For the records the PYC is not an annex of any Government in Power,The PYC if placed in the right hands should be an Advocacy group for the youths that will provide alternative blueprint to good governance as it meet the needs of youth development and empowerment working in tandem with Government.
I see youths chanting that this aspirant is not from our political party and I feel ashamed of some youths level of reasoning.
Both PDP & APC YOUTHS in Plateau State have been relegated to the background in their political parties.
The youth leaders of APC and PDP are irrelevant in the scheme of things when it comes to governance and even party largesse and opportunities.
If you base your campaign for PYC chairmanship based on political party,ethnic agenda,cabal sponsorhip or sentiments then you have lost the battle even before the whistle is blown.
Let us x-ray all candidates according to the constitutional requirements of the Youth council, the wisdom of the Larger house on zoning formula,The competence, Credibility and character of the aspirants and the over all acceptance of same by Plateau youths.
The incoming PYC chairman will have three years, that is by 2023 the tenure will end.

CONCLUSION
I challenge the youths today to take the bull by the horn, come together and end these unnecessary and unhealthy rancour that can only impoverish us as a people.
It is for this reason that young people need to know why unity is important. Unity is the state of being united or combined into one.
storytelling is a good method to share knowledge with the young generation. For instance, this can be through family stories, legends, fairy tales, movies, quotes, among others. This brings people together and creates a strong relationship.
Sometimes We need to tour in order to meet other people and accept their ways. We need to learn from other people and value them for their beliefs, ideas, and standards.in Jos the need to go hiking ,picnic or get together always afford us opportunity to meet and network.
“When People travel, they widen their perception; to have hope, and extend their thinking but also view life not only in negativity but have hope to be better and also to share their lives, stories, knowledge with different kinds of people they come across.”Martha Nassolo,
If one of us is in pain, maybe he has lost a relative, we should have a heart to reach out to them. When a colleague lacks what to eat, lets share the little we have with them.
Unity means we need to think of others, We have to know that everyone else counts and matters,
young people should know that life has seasons; today can be bad but tomorrow will be better.
Important events in life have to be celebrated, this gives chance to know people in your community, and take part in community activities. Celebrations are about gathering and bringing honour to what unites us,let’s always learn to attend events in solidarity.
We also need to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness, because anger and failure to forgive can create bitterness which could result into fights and other unpleasant acts, however, learning to say sorry to whoever we have wronged, solves much and it takes away the weight of pain.
“Living in unity means that we need to learn from history to shape the present, we should consider our past in forming our plans, for the future is at its best when we share and practice wisdom.”

Makut Alfred Mashat
9-02-2020
Lecture Notes Delivered On Voice of Plateau Youths Whatsapp platform.

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Unity of Purpose on the Plateau as it Affects PYC Forthcoming Elections – Makut Alfred Mashat