#LEADBenue: A LOOMING CHANGE IN THE HORIZON - Apeyuan Emmanuel Terese

As it is common truism, the only constant thing in life is change. But change… cannot just come. Change happens when there is natural allowance for its purpose. It happens when there is an individual or collective decision to allow for change. This is why sticking with a status quo can never allow for change. Society only changes when the individual decides to change.

#LEADBenue seeks to initiate change. It is a youth oriented organization, which seeks to further the cause of psycho-Physical, socio-political, economic and demographic development.

The organization believes that change starts with the individual, therefore, instead of depending on some Government to bring about change, we should change first, and then the Government would have no choice but to change as well.

It is believed today that the youths are the ‘bad eggs’ of every society and this is very evident in Benue state. The elders always makes references to the youths as agents of Tar Vihin; that they are the perpetrators of all evil, even though it is the father who sends the child to steal the eggs.

As a result, when two or three youth gather, it is believed that theirs is for the worst. It is either they are smoking hemp, doing drugs, planning robbery and rape, and several other vices.

#LEADBenue stands for a new image for the youths. A forum to bring about positive change through innovative thinking and enterprises that would help steer the society to some good.

In a recent outing, the group had mobilized for a massive sensitization about the anticipated flood, and a social mobilization for clearing stuffed-up gutters and blocked drainages in preparation for the said flood.

This for instance gives a little opening into the new image these youths seek to stand for. It is hoped that similar other initiatives may follow suit as we continue to think innovatively and positively.

Our days are those of politics. The 21st century society places so much value on politics. In fact, in Benue state, Politics seems to be the leading enterprise.

Even though the organization is non-partisan, part of their ideology seeks to encourage youths towards supporting Positive Governance coming from any angle at all irrespective of party differences.

With the trending concept of #NotTooYoungToRun, the organization also encourages youths to involve politics in whichever positive aspect, so that they can also contribute to policy-making as well as physical societal development.

Kudos goes to the initiators of this forum, given their tactful ideology for beginning change with the youthful individual. With this new image, you have proved beyond reasonable doubts that the youths are really the manpower of our dear society and not agents of mayhem as traditionally purported.

On a personal note, I wish to encourage you to keep up the good work, despite the prevailing challenges. Be sure of the fact that the society is watching, and as Karma begets that "what goes around comes around", someday, reward shall surely come around.

Talk2apeyuan@gmail.com  

Press statement Issued at the Flood Awareness and Mitigation Campaign Organized by LEAD Benue Cooperative Society on the 21st July, 2017.

Fellow countrymen;

Today is not a pleasant day even that it offered us a great reunion because the occasion is not one of merry making.

Given the report by the Director General of Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (HIHSA), Moses Beckley, warning of impending floods this 2017. This action became necessarily for us as Benue was also listed among the 30 states that will be affected by the floods. At this point, the floods cannot be circumvented but it can largely be contained and fatalities avoided.

In the previous years, Benue has suffered a great deal from the aftermath of similar floods with a good number of citizens rendered Internally Displaced Persons, who had to live in informal camps as there were no official government camps set up for them. Sadly, some primary schools in the State had to bear the brunt as their school calendars were interrupted and suspended for weeks and months in some cases.

The laissez faire attitude of authorities toward the flood was largely the greatest catalyst to the effects it left. It is against this backdrop that we have undertaken to create an awareness ahead of the impending floods as warned by NIHS, the ways of mitigating the effects and the possible way forward.

We have further offered ideas that have strategically been grouped into short, mid and long term measures to contend the menace of flood in Benue state. There are multiple approaches to achieving the recommendations offered herein. These revolves around awareness, mindset change, new policy/policy change and improvement, citizens-government-business sector collaboration,

prevention/incentive/sanctions, institutions building, etc

Short Term

Intensive sensitization and sustained awareness

Drainage clearing/sanitation enforcement

Efficient and transparent emergency and relief management

Mid Term

Establishment of Early Warning Systems under SEMA

Building of massive drainage canals around flood prone areas

Long Term

Dredging of River Benue

Building of Dams

Urban/Town Plan renewal

We call on the relevant MDAs in Benue state to rise up to the occasion and attract federal Government intervention on the flood situation in the state. We take this time out to appreciate our media friends and all active citizens who deemed it fit to join in this awareness activity. We call on all active citizens to join us this morning as we embark on drainage clearing activity in Wurukum, Makurdi.