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Olawande advises Nigerian Youth to Shelve Protest

Published

2 years ago

July 26, 2024

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of State for youth development Ayodele Olawande has called on the Nigerian youth to shelve the planned nationwide protest scheduled to hold in August.
The Minister gave this admonition on Thursday in his office in Abuja.

According to Olawande “there are many ways we can register our displeasure as youth to the government, but a protest that has the potential to snowball into destruction is not an option. We have our whole future ahead of us. Hence, anything that hurts Nigeria affects us more than anyone else”.

While reiterating that the major interventions of the Federal Ministry of Youth have been guided mostly by the yearnings and agitations of the youth,he highlighted various youth-focused initiatives of the Federal government which he said include ,”Young and Secure” initiative ,a campaign aimed at ensuring that the issue which led to the 2020 #EndSars protest do not re-occur; the “Youth Desk” which offers a platform for young Nigerians to table their complaints and concerns in a Coordinated manner.

The Minister stated “Personally, I believe we need to work to bring the government Closer to the Youth, to make it easier for the Youth to feel and experience the the impact of government. This is the reason I have priotized an apolitical engagement, by visiting more than 13 States so far”

Also, “I am aware that a major challenge for our generation is unemployment, which is worsened by the kind of Mismatch that exists between the skills that Majority of us possessed and those that employers in today’s labour market required. Hence, we initiated the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA) to up skill the youth and connect them to employers.

“For the Youth who have opted for self employment, the government has made preparations to fully support their aspirations through the Nigerian Youth Investment fund (NYIF). Also, through the grants and Cash transfers, President Tinubu has Provided #50 billion as nano-grants of#50,000 each to 1,300 small businesses in all the 774 local government areas.

“There is also the Consumer Credit Scheme initiated by the President Tinubu to enable Nigerians have access to good and Services, with Payment Spread over time in order to make life easier for all and sundry.

“In the Political Sphere, the President has Opened Up the Political Space like never before, appointing arguably the Largest number of Young People to top Positions in government, while also delivering local governments autonomy to democratise political participation at the grassroot level. Yet, these are Only some of the over 34 key interventions the president has made so far”, the minister recounted.

While Stating that the President is wholly concerned about how to reduce out -of- Pocket expenses for low income families.The minister said the recently approved Student loan and the Consumer Credit Scheme are Some of the key interventions in this regards.
“All the initiatives we are working on may not have addressed all the problems, I am confident that President Tinubu would continue to expand Opportunities for the Youth and Other Categories of Nigerians to thrive”.

“I urge my fellow Youth to be patient and utilise all channels of engaging with the government to table their demands that are yet to be met. The doors to my office are opened at all times to receive your complaints, grievances, and suggestions. Protest which in the long run will muddle up the issues we are fighting for would not advance our cause ” the minister Pleaded.

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Eagle Times Newspaper Will Be Voice for Nigerians – Publisher Chukwunyere Vows

Published

10 hours ago

October 2, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Publisher of The Eagle Times Nigeria, Sir Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, has pledged that the newspaper will promote accountability, credible journalism and public-interest reporting in its coverage of national affairs.
Chukwunyere made the commitment on Thursday, October 1, 2026, during the official unveiling and launch of The Eagle Times Nigeria.

He said the new media organisation was established not merely to add another newspaper to Nigeria’s media landscape, but to provide a platform committed to serving the public interest.

According to him, the newspaper’s guiding philosophy, “The Voice for the People, The Watchdog for the Nation,” places a responsibility on the organisation to listen to Nigerians, tell their stories, highlight issues affecting their daily lives and scrutinise those entrusted with public responsibilities.

“To be a voice for the people means that we must listen to Nigerians, tell their stories, highlight their concerns and give visibility to issues that affect their daily lives,” he said.

The publisher added that The Eagle Times would be guided by accuracy, fairness, professionalism, credibility and responsible journalism, stressing that the newspaper would not publish stories merely because they were sensational.

“We will verify. We will investigate. We will seek the other side. We will correct our mistakes when we make them,” he said.

Chukwunyere further stated that the newspaper would endeavour to give individuals and organisations the opportunity to respond whenever allegations were made against them.
“Our commitment is not to any political party, government or individual. Our primary commitment is to journalism, to truth and to the Nigerian public,” he said.

He noted that the newspaper was launching at a time when the media industry was undergoing rapid transformation, with audiences increasingly consuming news through digital platforms, including websites, television, podcasts and social media.

He said The Eagle Times would therefore operate as a multimedia organisation, combining its newspaper with digital platforms and The Eagle Times TV to reach audiences across different channels.

According to him, the organisation also intends to create opportunities for young journalists, writers, photographers, producers, digital creators and other media professionals to develop their skills and contribute to journalism and national development.

Chukwunyere said the newspaper’s coverage would include politics, governance, business, economy, security, judiciary, education, health, technology, sports, entertainment, lifestyle and international affairs.

He, however, said the organisation intended to distinguish itself not only by the subjects it covered but by the quality and approach of its journalism.

We want to tell stories that matter, we want to investigate issues that require investigation, we want to highlight Nigerians who are making a difference, and we want to give communities that are often ignored an opportunity to be heard,” he said.

The publisher acknowledged the challenges involved in establishing a newspaper, saying the venture required investment, commitment, professional discipline and the courage to pursue an idea.

He expressed appreciation to the management, editorial, reporting, production and digital teams, as well as families, friends, partners and supporters who contributed to the establishment of the organisation.

Chukwunyere also assured readers, viewers and the newspaper’s digital audience that The Eagle Times would strive to earn their trust and remain accountable to the standards it had set for itself.

He said the newspaper’s success would not be measured only by circulation figures, website traffic or social media followers, but also by the confidence Nigerians placed in its journalism.

“Today, we spread our wings. Today, The Eagle Times takes flight,” he said, reaffirming the newspaper’s commitment to its slogan: “The Voice for the People, The Watchdog for the Nation.”

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