ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- A Non-Governmental Organization, Pleasant Gathering, has urged secondary school students across Nigeria to be change agents in the society, as everyone all of the world is clamoring for change.
Pleasant Gathering, established in 2006, is a youth-focused and faith-based organization with the aim of equipping and empowering the next generation to fulfill destiny and become a people of integrity with high ethical standards.
Voiceofnaija.ng gathered that organization has a reading club – an educational project of the NGO – which is aimed at enhancing the reading culture of secondary school students in Enugu State.
The International President of the group, Barr. Joy Ogbonnaya, said until everyone arises to become the change, it cannot come. She also said that students needed to be empowered to be change agents.
She stated this at the 10th edition of the Pleasant Gathering Mega Secondary Schools’ Students Convention, held at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu on Saturday.
Speaking on the theme, “Nigerian Students As Agents of Change”, Barrister Ogbonnaya noted that what the students will be tomorrow is determined by the change they make today.
She said,“No nation can experience true national transformation and positive change until the students are fully equipped and empowered for the process.
“It is an established fact that a transformed student will surely bring about a transformed society, hence, the need to encourage and support this project.
“The objective of the Pleasant Gathering Reading Club in Secondary Schools is to enhance the reading culture of the students and to restore their moral habits which to some extent will bring about positive change in the nation.”
Barr. Ogbonnaya further admonished the students on good conduct and behavior, stressing that they are the change their families and society have been waiting for.
She concluded by giving them tips on how to be change agents, including: choice of being different, choice to be studious, choice of friends and choice of God.
Also, she thanked God, the school Proprietors for releasing the students, for the event.
On his part, the Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Enugu State chapter, Bishop Nwachinemere Chukwuma Onyeledo expressed joy over what he described as great work done by Barr Ogbonnaya, in impacting the young ones.
He lamented that those who made Nigeria what it is today were once children, and because their upbringing were faulty, they messed up the system.
“We need to encourage these children so that Nigeria can be made well again. We can repair this nation and lay holds on it again, and make it the Nigeria we all will be proud of.
“The deliverance of every nation comes in the form of a baby. It took baby Moses to deliver Israel. It took baby Samson to deliver them again. Whrn ever God wants to help and raise a nation, he sends a baby.
“The problem we have both as church and nation is that we do not pay attention to coming generation”.
Onyeledo warned that if the government fails to invest more in the young ones and neglect them, it will only end up investing more in the prisons.
The PFN Chairman commended Barr Ogbonnaya on the good work, and prayed God to continue strengthening her.