By ANGELA ATABO

Most Rev. Michael Akinwale, the Archbishop of Methodist Church, says Nigerian youths can break loose from the shackles of poverty by creating opportunities for themselves and unlocking their God-given talents and potentials.

The Archbishop stated this on Friday in Abuja at the Methodist Campus Fellowship, 16th Biennial National Convention 2025 with the theme “The Mandate”.

“You must be able to do things for yourself. The current state of our nation is such that we must look inward.

“Every human being is deposited with a lot of potentials. Explore those potentials so that you can be a better citizen.

“Be patriotic, truthful, honest, dedicated and at the end of it all, you will have cause to glorify the name of the Lord.” he said

The Archbishop also called on the government to create the enabling environment for youths to thrive, adding that youths will seize the opportunity to develop themselves.

The Clergy stressed the need for youths to reject mediocrity and focus on developing their skills to drive national development.

According to him, youths are in their prime age and they hold a very vantage position in the destiny of Nigeria.

He enjoined them to embrace righteousness, self-discovery, and the divine mandate to spread the Gospel.

“My charge will be in line with the mandate which says that they should go into the world and preach the Gospel because that is the only way by which they can realise their potentials.

“I also charge them to live a life of righteousness, discipline; and vision; be focused and above all, be steadfast in anything that you are doing,” he said.

The Keynote Speaker, a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, said the chosen theme for the convention was a clarion call to youths, to rise up and be impactful in their generation.

According to Onnoghen, youths hold the key to whatever they want to become, and that it is their responsibility to take charge of their lives depending on the grace of God and the Holy Spirit as a guide.

“Nigeria today finds itself in a paradox. A nation richly endowed with human and natural resources, yet struggling beneath the weight of poverty, unemployment, corruption, insecurity, and a declining moral compass.”

“Amid the sobering reality, existed a powerful force, the youths.

“I, therefore, encouraged them to take advantage of the challenges in Nigeria and adopt an entrepreneurial mindset and transform the economy,” he said.

The former CJN urged youths to shun mediocrity and be agents of moral revival by serving to leave a legacy, because without moral revival, economic development would be a mirage.

He said youths must develop character rooted in honesty, diligence, empathy, courage and righteousness and a refusal of “Everybody is doing it syndrome”.

Mr. Abasiodiong Otuk, National President of the Methodist Campus Fellowship, said the convention would leave an indelible impact on the lives of young persons and stir them up to be bold. (NAN)