'Nigerian Youths Should Unite'- Ogar

Ogar Emmanuel Oko, a 500 level student of Electronics and Computer Technology (ECT) UNICAL. He is the
leader and coordinator of the Youth Alliance for Northern Cross River Dreams (YANCRID); one of the most
vibrant youth forum in Cross River State. In this interview, he tells Sam Ibok a 400 level Curriculum and Teaching about
the objectives of the forum and the Challenges facing Nigerian Youths.

Q: Can I meet you Sir?
ANS: I am Comr. Ogar Emmanuel Oko, aka (BABA 50); I’m an indigene of Yala Local Government Area of Cross
River State, by the grace of God, A final year student of Electronics and Computer Technology from the
University of Calabar. I am the former President Echo Press Organization and the Emeritus National President of
the Nigerian Union of Campus Journalist. I have held various offices such as the News Editor, Deputy Editor-
in-Chief and the Editor in Chief of NUCJ. Currently, I am the leader of the Youths Alliance for Northern Cross
River Dream (YANCRID).
Q: What is the Youths Alliance for Northern Cross River Dreams, all about?
ANS: The fundamental objectives and directive principles of the alliance include but not limited to:
i. Creating a platform(s) for the discuss of issues affecting the youths
ii. Preparing the youths for the political, economic, and social ideological actualization for the peoples of
northern Cross River State
iii. Nurturing and shaping the youths to be able to condemn and oppose all forms of discrimination, exploitation
injustice, and particularly, political victimization and degradation of human beings.
What do you think are the challenges facing Nigerian youths?
Hmm! A typical Nigerian youth is crippled with the manacle of political segregation and economic inequality.
This is intrinsically due to political affinity and religion affiliation. However, I wouldn’t want to say poverty,
because poverty is of the individual mindset. Not lack of education, because many graduates are loitering the
streets without job. An average Nigerian youth is not given equal opportunities like his counterpart in other
land and climes. I think unemployment wrap it all.
Q: What are the solutions to these challenges?
ANS: First, the youths must see themselves as one irrespective of ethnicity, political tiers or religion belief.
Secondly, the youths should co-join forces together and elect youth as president, governors, and senators and
even local government chairman. Finally, the youths should be empowered by acquiring skills through
entrepreneurship development programme.
How true is the saying, youths are the leaders of tomorrow?
There is no iota of truth in that saying. This is an age-long deceitful saying used by the elites to hypnotize the
youths into hoping in futility. Since as a child, I have being hearing that saying even till now, but shamefully
enough, I have not seen youth leading in any renown capacity.
Q: What is behind your leadership drives?
ANS: The passion to serve that evolves from the melody of a freedom of a librated mind. It means the joy that
comes when changes are effected.
What are your score cards since assumption as the coordinator?
Under my superintendent, most youths are beginning to appreciate a new level of thinking, new attitudinal and
behavioral change. During the previous local government area elections, we organized a sensitization campaign
aimed at educating the youths on electoral education. We are enlightening the youths against child
prostitution; modern slaving (child labour), restiveness and other anti-social activities such as cultism and drug
abuse. With this, the mind is reviewed and renewed for a new level of thinking and mental emancipation.
Q: How will you address the security situation in Nigeria especially the menace of Boko Haram insurgency?
ANS: Since these people are Islamic extremists, with ultra-vires mindset, it means that the battle of this
warfare is less political and more of religion. Karl Marx says that religion is the opinion of the people. However,
section 4, sub (1) (c) of the Youths Alliance stipulates that YANCRID shall maintain absolute neutrality on
partisan issues that anchor on religion; faith and belief. Therefore, I cannot delve into it. Hence, the Federal
Government should use religion force in tackling the menace rather than engaging them with military forces
that seemed overwhelmed by the insurgent’s tactics.
Q: What is your advice to the youth?
ANS: We should return to our creator and seek the knowledge of our being in existence. By so doing, we shall
realize that we are meant to be the head and the tail. To rule and not to be used by some politicians as thugs
and ballot box snatchers. The youths should equip themselves with entrepreneurship skills.


Sam Ibok is a student journalist from the Faculty of Education, University of Calabar.