Nigeria’s telecom service provider and youth-friendly brand, 9mobile has lent its voice to the global call for collaboration among generations to build an equitable, peaceful, and prosperous society. The telco also emphasised the importance of building a society that encourages more youth representation.
The telco made the call at Instagram live session, hosted by Olorisupergal to mark this year’s International Youth Day themed, Inter-generational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages. It was graced by ace comedian, Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome (well known as Ali Baba), the relevance of the youth in the society was the focus of discussion.
According to Akpobome, who is also an actor, the culture of shared values must be entrenched to accommodate both the young and the old at home and in the workplace in order to promote inter-generational solidarity in the society and bridge the gap between the older and younger generation. This would promote the convergence of understanding on mutual respect among all.
Ali Baba said: “Tolerance and understanding is a way to strike a balance between age groups. The older generation must have an open mind to today’s realities in dealing with the differences in values and behaviour of today’s youth. In other words, tolerance, respect and culture are the prerequisites for dealing with the culture shock among the elderly and the younger generation”.
Noting that there is an urgent need to create platforms where the youth could be properly and productively engaged in order to harness their God-given potential for the benefits of society, Akpobome added that the youth must be well represented in the affairs of politics, education and the economy.
Commenting on the significance of the theme, 9mobile’s Executive Director, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Mallam Abdulrahman Ado said that, for a society to experience progress in its developmental goals, the youth must be engaged and adequately empowered to be leaders and problem solvers. He said: “At 9mobile, we are a youthful brand and very particular about the growth and development of young people because they are the future we see today and as such we must encourage and give them a sense of belonging, which will invariably inspire them to thrive and contribute to the sustainability and growth of the society”.
He called for stakeholders to be more strategic in driving initiatives that promote inter-generational solidarity, embrace youth inclusiveness and guarantee a peaceful and progressive world for all.
The International Youth Day is designated by the United Nations to highlight issues affecting the youth and draw the attention of the international community, while also celebrating the youth’s potential as partners in today’s global society.
