Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has advocated increased public and private investment in youth development and empowerment to break the “vicious cycle” of illiteracy, unemployment, poverty and insecurity in the country.
Atiku made the call in his remarks at the official inauguration of the Abubakar Kawu Baraje Foundation on Thursday in Abuja.
The ex-Vice President, who was represented at the event by one Jamil Mohammed, said the success of any nation was tied to the quality of investment in its youth population.
He added that education remained the gateway for sustainable development.
Atiku said: “I have always been an advocate of youth-focused policies aimed at empowering and providing them with opportunities to add value to themselves, family and society at large.
“This is key as most of the leaders that are being celebrated today made their impact at their youthful age largely because they had quality education and opportunities were provided and where such did not exist they were empowered to create them.
“A typical case in point was the Nigeria Youth Movement (NYM) which assembled young Nigerians in their 20s and 30s who played critical leadership roles in accelerating the attainment of our independence.
“I strongly believe that we can still produce the same quality of young leaders who will equally play critical roles in regaining Nigeria’s place as the giant of Africa.”