Following the successful of 10th anniversary celebration of democracy in Nigeria and the 2nd year of Chief (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio's tenure in office as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, the chairman of the state branch of National Youth Council, Adede Ese Gerald Umoh in a chat with our reporter, Ukpong Ukpong, revealed the importance of skill acquisition among youth.
He also talked on the forthcoming 1st Akwa Ibom Youth Summit and other issues such as insecurity, youth involvement in governance, the second term bid and lots more.

Excerpts:

Sir, can you give a brief background on your self and designation?
I am Ese Gerald Umoh, an indigene of Essien Udim local government area of Akwa Ibom State. I am presently the Chairman of National Youth Council, Akwa Ibom State Chapter. The National Youth Council is a statutory youth body saddled with the responsibility of youth development among other youth related activities in the country. I came into office September, 2007 and in the last two years we have been working assiduously for the economic well being of youths from the state.
After two years in governance, a lot has been said about Chief Godswill Akpabio's administration. What is your assessment of his governance style so far?
A lot of people have commended the developmental strides of Chief (Dr.) Godswill Akpabio, a greater percentage of Akwa Ibom people are very comfortable with his government. For the first time, a government have given youths an opportunity to be part and parcel of governance. Looking back, we have never had it this good.
This may not be the feeling of everyone. Frankly speaking, this is not surprising, in every twelve there must be a Judas and in the state you do not expect everyone to appreciate the governor for his effort. The people who had expected this government to do business as usual may not be very happy since the governor is not dancing to their tune.
As a youth leader, what is your advise to the youths on their opportunities in governance?
As a youth leader in the state, my usual advise to youths in governance is that we should conduct ourselves in such a way that even the governor would not regret involving us in governance. We should in our conduct encourage the governor to employ more of us in his government. We must ensure that the whole world would see that youth involvement in Akwa Ibom governance is not a failure. How do we do this? We should shun all forms of militancy such as kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery, oil pipe line vandalisation, and social vices like prostitution, drug or human trafficking and all other those vices.
The governor would be very disappointed to find youths of Akwa Ibom involved in these vices despite his efforts to create a niche for us in the scheme of things in the state, when we did not have any before now. I must tell you that this is the first time youths in Akwa Ibom have had a comfortable life.
The governor has added value to our lives. So I advise youths to utilize their opportunities in government to impact positively on those around them and on society as a whole.
What is your assessment of youths in government?
So far, the governor has been so magnanimous in appointing youths into key positions in the state executive council, local government, and as Special Advisers and Personal Assistants. Quite a number of youths in these positions are doing very well. Like the chairman of Itu local government area, who has given the round-about along the entry point into Akwa Ibom a face lift. The Chairman of Essien Udim, Mr. Nse Ntuen is performing quite well with the work on the council secretariat, building a multipurpose Unity Hall for people of Essien Udim; others in Etinan, Ika and many others are working hard to produce impressive results.
Over all, I do not think the governor made any mistake by involving youths in governance.
Sir, the rising tide of insecurity in the state has been attributed to youths who have been neglected. What is your comment on this?
I disagree with you. The spate of insecurity is not peculiar to Akwa Ibom State. In fact, it is a global menace. Our state is relatively very peaceful compared to other states in the region. Insecurity in the state has nothing to do with the governor's involvement of youths or otherwise in governance, this is something that has been there even before this administration came into power. Honestly speaking the youths of Akwa Ibom have come together and in one voice spoken against kidnapping, armed banditry and other forms of insecurity in our state.
In about a month’s time, we will have the first Akwa Ibom State Youth Summit where we will talk to ourselves and persuade bad eggs amongst us to realize that they are going against the entirety of youth aspiration in the state. Other than this, it is unfortunate that criminals from our neighbouring states infiltrate our state to perpetrate some of these ghastly acts just to give us a bad name. We the youths have a lot of work to do so as to stem the tide of criminality and maintain our sanctity and image as the most peaceful state in the federation.
Sir, can you elaborate on the up coming 1st Akwa Ibom Youth Summit?
The idea of the 1st Akwa Ibom Youth Summit evolved out of the need for the youths of our state to be more self reliant, economically empowered, develop intellectually and get them prepared to perform in leadership positions. The summit is also borne out of the desire of the state youth council to create an avenue where youths can exchange their opinion, ideas and learn about human security and peace building. Also it will open opportunities for youths to formulate policies and come up with a positive paper for a violent free Akwa Ibom State and Niger Delta region.
We came up with this summit out of the need to check youth restiveness. The summit will offer Akwa Ibom youths a platform to air their views and make suggestions on how their lives would be improved upon. In the course of the programme, guest motivational speakers will lecture our youths on life transforming issues, training the youths on how to get economically emancipated. This empowerment is beyond sharing money to youths, it will be much about redirecting their minds to artisanship and preferring handiwork over unemployment.
We are aiming at changing our mindset from politics as a means of youth empowerment, we have done a thorough work and have carefully selected gifted motivational speakers who will mould the youth views on self development. The summit will take 3 days, commencing from July 29 up till August 4, then on the August 6, we will go for the national youth summit.
What informed the theme of the summit?
The theme, “Human Security and Peace Building: the Role of Akwa Ibom Youth” came as a challenge on what we need to do to maintain continuous peace in our society. This summit is very important because about 75% of peaceful co-existence in our communities lie in the hands of our youths. So also, 75% of violence is in the hands of he youths. There is the need for us to profer solutions to our security challenges because if we are able to maintain the peace, investors will love to stay back and their activities will create jobs and employment opportunities in the state.
What practical measures will this summit take to address youths unemployment?
In the course of this summit we will have an exhibition segment which will offer our youths opportunity to showcase what they can achieve with their talents. Bring in what you can produce, what you can offer to society, then we will assist you market your products for sponsorship. If you can produce a shirt, chair, art and craft, this summit will offer you an opportunity to meet employers of labour and production companies who will either employ you or partner with you to become an employer of labour.
We urge all our youths who have handiwork; artisans, welders, iron bender, craftsmen, painters, sculptors, printers etc to cue into the upcoming summit to announce themselves.
As I said earlier, chieftains of industries and corporate organizations, oil companies operating in the state will be invited to interact with the youths at the summit. Also, an Akwa Ibom Youth Data bank will be opened there and curriculum vitae of all our youths who have qualified in various professional fields will be collected. We will send these CVs to our web site, so that companies and corporate organizations working in the state or outside can access to obtain data for possible employment.
Added to that, you see our state government has invested huge funds into setting up basic infrastructures to spark up industrial revolution in our state. The State Youth Council have come up with these initiative to build up capacity among our youths, re-orientate and impact life building skills in Akwa Ibom youths. We must look inwards, go back and adopt those trades and professions we were trained for, soon the state will begin to enjoy uninterrupted power supply, accessible road network traverse nooks and crannies of our state, these offer us the opportunity to engage productively in manufacturing, fabrication, food production and micro agro allied production. Our youths are hard working all they need is a platform to excel. The Akwa Ibom State Youth Council offers them this platform.
The level of integration among ethnic affiliations in the state, is another remarkable achievement of this government. What do you think is responsible for this?
Chief (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio is solely responsible for this. He as a person is very de-tribalized, the best thing that has happened to Akwa Ibom State. I support his government, a government that nobody knows where he or she comes from, where everybody see themselves as brothers.
It is very wrong for you to look down on me as a minority because I come from the Annang extraction. Just as it is wrong for me to look at myself as a favoured person because the governor is from my local government area. The governor makes us view ourselves as brothers with a common goal which is towards human development and economic emancipation of the people of Akwa Ibom State not minding where you are from, the status you are in life or the office you hold. The target is to affect positively on our people not who your brother is or where you come from. We youths must support a de-tribalize government as administered by Chief (Dr.) Godswill Akpabio.
Sir, what is your reaction to the recent criticism of the present administration in some print media?
The criticism to say the least is ill fated. Everything the governor is doing today is geared towards development. The flyover he is constructing is in a bid to decongest that junction. If you can recall that the straight lane between Itam junction and Ekim Itam was no more motorable, but today the government has taken measures to construct the fly over as a way of correcting the traffic problem there being the entrance into our state. This is a welcome development which should be applauded. I would advise the present governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, to stay focused and remain stead fast in his vision for a greater Akwa Ibom State. He must accept the fact that people will petition, and criticize, however, these should not distract him, but rather it should ginger him to be more committed, as God's will for the people of our state, to deliver more dividends of democracy to our people.
Sir, how would you describe the outlook of an average Akwa Ibom youth now?
The outlook of an average Akwa Ibom youth has received a tremendous boost with the emergence of Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio,
To put things in perspective, since I came in as the Chairman of Akwa Ibom Youth Council, we have been able to make national impact. As I speak to you, I am also the Chairman of South South Youth Caucus of the National Youth Council of Nigeria. It was out of the governor's benevolence that we were sponsored to attend at Abuja, the first Nigerian Youth Parliament, where we presented Mr. Onofiok Luke who contested with two aspirants from other states and won a land slide victory due to his powerful delivery.
The present government's investment into youth development has produced a new breed of youths, well groomed for leadership positions within and outside the state. Akwa Ibom youths can compete favourably with their counter parts from across the country.
Just before you go, what is the stand of Akwa Ibom youths on the governor's aspiration beyond 2011?
Definitely, by 2011, the seat of government is not vacant. To us, the tenure of Chief (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio which began in 2007 will continue to 2015, full eight years. That will be when we can consider having a change in government.
In essence, you are in support of the second term bid?
Why not? The youths of Akwa Ibom are totally in support of the second term bid of the governor. In fact, but not for the restraint by the federal government, we would have begun campaign long ago.