Nigerian Youth Must Rise To Build A Better Nation — Ogbemudia
Dr. Nelson Ogbemudia, UN Eminent Peace Ambassador, has called on Nigerian youths to take their rightful place in national development, urging them to embrace leadership, peace, innovation, integrity and active participation in democracy.
Ogbemudia made the call in a message to Nigerian youths to mark International Youth Day 2026, with the theme centred on the role of young people in shaping the future of Nigeria.
According to him, Nigerian youths are not merely leaders of tomorrow but leaders of today whose choices and actions are already shaping the nation's future.
He said: “Nigeria needs you. Nigeria believes in you. And the future of Nigeria is in your hands,” stressing that the voices, ideas, character and aspirations of young Nigerians matter in building a better country.
Ogbemudia noted that young Nigerians are growing up in a rapidly changing world where technology, artificial intelligence, climate change, insecurity and economic pressures are transforming societies and creating new challenges and opportunities.
He urged youths not to allow their circumstances to define their future, noting that unemployment, economic hardship, limited access to quality education, insecurity and political frustration should not extinguish their dreams.
The peace ambassador also challenged young Nigerians to understand that leadership is not determined solely by age or political position.
“Leadership begins with responsibility. It begins when you decide that you will not simply complain about what is wrong, but ask: ‘What can I do to make it better?’” he said.
He encouraged youths to develop practical and digital skills, embrace vocational and technical education, learn financial literacy and communication, and acquire the ability to solve problems.
According to him, the modern world requires more than academic certificates, as creativity, innovation, adaptability, skills and character are increasingly important to personal and national development.
Ogbemudia further urged Nigerian youths to use technology positively, describing smartphones and digital platforms as potential classrooms, offices, marketplaces, studios and laboratories rather than merely tools for entertainment.
He warned young people against becoming prisoners of social media or measuring their worth by likes, followers and online recognition.
Ogbemudia Calls for Peace
As a UN Eminent Peace Ambassador, Ogbemudia made a strong appeal to Nigerian youths to reject violence and refuse to allow their frustrations to be exploited by politicians, extremists, criminals or other individuals seeking to undermine the nation's future.
He urged young Nigerians to learn to disagree without becoming enemies, demand justice without abandoning peace and challenge authority without losing their humanity.
He also called for the rejection of hate speech, tribalism, religious intolerance and the politics of destruction, stressing that Nigeria's diversity should be viewed as a strength rather than a source of division.
“Peace is not weakness. Peace is the foundation upon which development is built,” he said.
Youth Participation in Governance
Ogbemudia acknowledged the right of young Nigerians to demand accountability from those in government, urging them to vote, participate actively in democratic processes, ask questions and defend democracy.
However, he reminded them that they must also prepare themselves for leadership.
“If you want better leaders, become better leaders. If you want an honest Nigeria, practice honesty. If you want accountable government, be accountable in your own sphere of influence,” he said.
He stressed that the Nigeria of tomorrow cannot be built with the same values that contributed to the problems of the past.
Ogbemudia also encouraged successful young Nigerians to use their achievements to empower others by creating jobs, mentoring younger people, investing in their communities and using their influence responsibly.
Message to Young Women and Men
The peace ambassador urged young Nigerian women not to allow societal limitations to diminish their ambitions, emphasizing the importance of their intelligence, leadership, creativity and courage to national development.
He also challenged young men to redefine strength as discipline, responsibility and the courage to reject violence.
“True strength is protecting rather than destroying. True strength is having the courage to walk away from violence. True strength is working honestly even when shortcuts are available,” he said.
Ogbemudia called for the emergence of a new generation of Nigerians who are educated but humble, ambitious but compassionate, politically conscious but peaceful, technologically advanced but morally grounded, and successful but committed to service.
He urged youths to start making a difference from wherever they are, rather than waiting for Nigeria to become perfect before contributing to its development.
“Do not wait for Nigeria to become perfect before you serve her. Serve Nigeria as she is, while working to make her better,” he said.
“Rise and Build a New Nigeria”
In his concluding message, Ogbemudia challenged Nigerian youths to stand for peace, justice, integrity, innovation, democracy and one another.
He urged them to become a generation remembered not for complaining about Nigeria's problems, but for contributing meaningfully to solving them.
“Let your generation be remembered not as the generation that complained about Nigeria's problems, but as the generation that solved them,” he said.
He called on young Nigerians to dream boldly, work faithfully, lead courageously and live peacefully, stressing that the future of the country depends significantly on the choices they make today.
Ogbemudia wished Nigerian youths a happy International Youth Day 2026 and prayed for peace, unity and prosperity in Nigeria.
Dr. Nelson Ogbemudia
UN Eminent Peace Ambassador
