The Executive Chairman of Ojodu LCDA, Lagos State, Hon Segun Odunmbaku, has called on youths across Ojodu, Lagos State and Nigeria to reject social vices and become responsible agents of positive change.
Hon Odunmbaku made the call in his message to commemorate the 2026 International Youth Day, celebrated globally under the theme: “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”
Describing young people as the strength, hope and future of every society, the Ojodu Mayor stressed that the choices youths make today will determine the kind of society they inherit tomorrow.
“My dear youths, do not allow temporary challenges to destroy your permanent future. You are too valuable to your families, our communities and our nation to be lost to social vices,” he said.
“The road of crime may appear attractive for a moment, but it often ends in regret, pain and a wasted future.”
Odunmbaku urged young people to shun cultism, drug abuse, violence, kidnapping, internet fraud, political thuggery and other criminal activities, warning that such vices destroy promising lives and rob the nation of its future leaders.
Instead, he encouraged youths to embrace education, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, hard work and community service.
“Your present circumstance is not the final chapter of your story. Stay alive, stay focused, learn a skill, acquire knowledge and keep believing in yourself. There is a place for you in the future you are preparing for today,” Hon Segun Odunmbaku stated.
The Council Chairman further called on parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders, government institutions, and civil society organizations to invest more in young people and create avenues for their meaningful participation in nation-building.
He noted that empowering youth was not just a responsibility but a direct investment in peace, security and sustainable development.
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