From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Nollywood Actor Richard Mofe-Damijo; filmmaker and content creator Dr Foy and Pastor Andy Osakwe among others, recently provided counsel on how youths can surmount existential challenges and achieve their aspirations.
They spoke at the 2023 This Generation Conference spare-headed by The Summit Bible Church, titled ‘ Taking Responsibility, Be The Standard,’ recently in Abuja.
Mofe-Damijo, in his presentation, recalled how he was christened ‘I too know’ because he thrived for perfection.
He told the youths that talents and skills were not enough for budding thespians, artists, entrepreneurs and soccer players to become rich, but insisted that they must embrace what he called the ‘God factor’.
Dr Foy, on the other hand, tasked participants to judiciously utilise the influence and power of social media to advance their course in life.
He said social media platforms were the surest way for them to rich the zenith of their careers through content creation, marketing, consistency and collaboration.
He compared the population of the church in Africa and social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube and Facebook, which he said the latter had more numerical strength than the former.
According to him, Christians must always be resilient despite teething problems of rejection and negative comments.
Convener of the conference, Pastor Osakwe who is also the Founder of Buildman Leadership Foundation, said the programme was put together to encourage young people on the importance of resilience, consistency and responsible living.
He posited that being the standard meant doing the right thing at the right time, in the right place and with the right intention.
The cleric said: “You have to be the standard and we need to be the standard. it is one thing to be positionally the standard, it is a whole different thing to start to act like the standard and that time has come.
“We are to be the standard in every field of endeavour. We are to be the standard in politics and governance. it is about time now.
“We are to be the standard in education. We have to start to teach the right things. We are to be the standard in fashion, something I see and fathom out today is that I do not know who is wearing what, if it is the person wearing the cloth or the cloth is wearing the person.
“It is time to set the standard in media and entertainment and that is why we are hearing today.”
Osakwe said progress and mental development should start from one’s mindset and thinking processes.
According to him, it was time for the present generation to rise up and take their place.
The participants were grouped into different masterclasses of film-making, acting, content creation and music.
The likes of the former Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Osita Chidoka; former Chairman of First Bank Nigeria, Ibukun Awosika; first female mechanic, Sandra Ageubor; Founder of House of Tara, Tara Fela -Durotoye, are some of the prominent Nigerians that have featured on the programme.
Others are the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi; Senator Binta Masi Garba; Founder of Taeillo Furniture, Jumoke Dada, among others.
