Former President, World Medical Association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele has charged youths in the country to develop themselves in line with their passion to become what they want to be without waiting for government or anybody to realise their dreams.
He gave the charge at the Doctor Enabulele Foundation Inter-school Debate Competition in Benin City, the Edo State Capital.
He stated that the idea of coming up with the Inter-school debate was to inspire younger Nigerians to proffer solutions to the challenges facing the country.
While calling on one and all to contribute to the development of the nation, Dr. Enabulele explained that the debate was designed to arouse the power of imagination and innovation among the younger generation to solve the country’s challenges rather than turning themselves into complainers.
He stated that he was touched when a young boy on the internet said he would want to be a fraudster (yahoo yahoo boy) when he grew up, while being asked what he would like to become.
He said: “What actually triggered the need for this deliberate intervention was what we could see around us. We decided to see how we can make our contributions towards building the next generation of Nigerians, progressive Nigerians to lift us from where we are now because of the very uninspiring indices that we see all around us. We thought we as citizens also have responsibilities, to make contributions rather than migrating to other countries”.
”Of course, education is the key. For us as a Foundation, we were very deliberate because our Foundation is one that has come to reverse some of the very unfortunate and negative narratives that confront us as a people. We all know in today’s Nigeria, we are challenged in terms of role models. We no longer see role models apart from a few” he added.
A legal practitioner and former Chief Whip of Edo State House of Assembly, Mr Paschal Ugbome who gave his impression about the debate remarked that the competition would make the younger generation strive for excellence to succeed in life.
Acting Dean, School of Dentistry at the University of Benin and wife of the Director-General of the foundation, Prof Joan Enabulele was full of hope that the future of Nigeria was bright with the excellent performances of the students in the debate.
Okotie Isabella of Eghosa Anglican Grammar School, Benin, won the award for the best chief speaker, Ogadu Miracle of Annunciation Catholic College, Irrua was the second best Chief speaker while Igbinovia Joy of Idia College got the award for the third Chief speaker in the debate.
Eghosa Anglican Grammar School came first in the debate, followed by Idia College which finished second while Annunciation Catholic College got the award for the third third position.
The award winners who spoke with newsmen took time to appreciate the efforts of Dr. Osahon Enabulele and the organizers of the event for the opportunity given to them.
