Shocking revelations emerge on Benue Youths Summit

Written by Usha Anenga

Benue Youth Summit has come and gone. A lot of unpalatable things happened. From gagging of presenters to financial misappropriation and embezzlement of funds.

These things are being talked about everywhere else but Benue social media space. The slightest rumblings are greeted with calls to pull down posts and let sleeping dogs lie.

Governor Samuel Ortom presented Benue youths a golden opportunity to kick-start their emancipation however the negatives seem to overshadow whatever gains may have been made.

Presenters were told to submit their manuscripts after which areas that were “anti-government” were struck out. One of them told me she was told to make her presentation strictly motivational. And that anything outside the approved script will not be tolerated and if she tried it, her microphone will be put off.

Another had a similar tale.

I’ve personally waited for a document or report of this event to no avail. Things can’t just be allowed to slide.

I’ve criticised Governor Samuel Ortom a great deal in the past, it won’t be any different if youths are involved.

There’s every need for a post mortem of the Benue youth summit for accountability and closure.

The question is, who will speak up? I may well be inundated with calls to pull down this post as I have friends and friends of friends who are involved. Nevertheless, we must find a way of holding people to account.

If youths are the leaders of the future and “the future is here” as the summit was themed, we must begin to practice what we desire. Change must begin from us. I so submit!