REJUVENATED!

There is hope in our future, and there is a future in our hope! This is not a cliché, it is a conviction. As I traveled home from the British Council office on the Island , exciting thoughts began to run through my head, thoughts that rejuvenates me, knowing that the lives of those who joined us in celebrating the 2009 International Youth Day will never be the same again for good. Using Photography as an example, the simple message of turning one’s passion into action by merging intellectual knowledge with God-given talents was received warmly with understanding.

“It was a success.” “Very impactful.” “It was great to see young people doing things and older people encouraging them.” “It is my first time attending the program and I really enjoyed it.” “It is really engaging youths, the best I have attended so far this year.” These were some of the comments from some of the youths after the August 12 event which was sponsored by The British Council, Global Changemakers and Ola.lens.

For some, it is an experience that has reawaken their faith to embrace a new sense of hope, for others it might be that they are better inspired to ignite their innate creativity and passion- “creativity is key to survival” opined one of the participants. One thing that is undisputed is that our demeanor has changed for good and no longer will we sit passive in a materialistic, narcissistic or nonchalant way in the face of the challenges that confronts us.

The parlance “to know the road ahead, ask those who have gone ahead”, was in view when during the event, experienced adults panelists- James U. Iroha, a photographer; Tunde Kelani, a cinematographer; Boye Ola, a photography coach; Damola Taiwo, a web designer; and Tunde Aboderin, a development cinematographer drew from their wealth of experience to share with the youths first-hand knowledge of what they can do to be solution providers instead of being a problem.

In their words, “what is the energy of youth for if not to drive a positive change? It could be a big mistake to invest in material things instead of investing in human resource. Young people of this generation should take advantage of the opportunities and maximize the new technology to create a means of livelihood. Education is important, it is either you train yourself or get a formal training. Learn to embrace mentorship and prepare yourself to be able to pay the price in order to win the prize. Always think of inner satisfaction before money.” This generation must adopt a positive behavior to be able to overcome the challenges and help develop a sustainable existence towards a more fulfilling future!