Our youths are hardworking, intelligent, Atiku, Fayose, Bruce tell Buhari

Some Nigerian politicians have reacted to President Muhammadu Buhari’s comment that Nigerian Youths are lazy.

President Buhari on Wednesday during a panel discussion at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Westminster, London, said that many Nigerian youths are uneducated, not ready to work and dependent on revenue from oil to survive.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose and Minister representing Bayelsa East constituency, Ben Murray Bruce have differed on the subject matter.

According to Atiku, Nigerian youths are very creative people who against all odds have defined means to survive and have used the entertainment and the ICT as tools for propelling the economy.
Atiku wrote, “Our youth are charting new frontiers; creating a huge tech industry on their own! Their entrepreneurial spirit, work ethic, and creative abilities are things of pride and should be applauded, encouraged and nurtured.

“I’ve always said oil is not Nigeria’s greatest asset. Our greatest asset is our youth who created Nollywood out of nothing and an entertainment industry that is second to none in Africa.
“Our youth are charting new frontiers; creating a huge tech industry on their own! Their entrepreneurial spirit, work ethic, and creative abilities are things of pride and should be applauded, encouraged and nurtured.”

The Ekiti State governor on the other hand aired view that Nigerian youths are hardwking, intelligent and enterprising despite the fact that the older generation has not made it easy for them.
Fayose said, “Shamefully embarrassing that for the first time since 1999, the National Assembly was invaded by thugs and the Senate Symbol of Authority taken away. Only thugs with Presidential backing could have carried out that treasonable act & those involved must be treated like coupists.
“Nigerian youths are hardworking, intelligent and enterprising. Their future was mortgaged by past leaders like President Buhari, who had everything at their beck and call as youths. I imagine the youths of today having half of the opportunities available in the 50s and 60s…

“At 19, President Buhari left Secondary School to join the Army. At age 21,he was commissioned a second lieutenant and appointed Platoon Commander of the Second Infantry Battalion in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Where can our youths get such opportunity today?”

The common-sense senator Bruce said anyone who calls Nigerian youths lazy has not seen things correctly.
He stated “Whoever says Nigerian youths are lazy should just buy a mirror and he or she will see the real definition of laziness! I have over 1000 Nigerian youths in my employ and not one of them is lazy.”