On Sunday, 17 July 2022, new members of the executive of the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON), Lagos Archdiocese were inaugurated with a promise to continue the work of predecessors in guiding the estimated over one million youths under their jurisdiction to better futures in the country of their birth.
Speaking on his inauguration, Chukwuemeka Anyiam-Osigwe, the new president of CYON Lagos Archdiocese and Director of Public Relations of Pride Multimedia Ventures – publishers of Pride Magazine Nigeria, commented: “Youths in Nigeria, and Lagos especially where the country’s dreams are made, are bursting with energy, with visions of intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship to transform themselves and their communities. As part of my job at Pride, I meet and network with representatives from various sectors of Nigeria’s economy, and through this know that opportunities abound to make our country great collectively. We can’t let the talents of the country’s youths go to waste, and we call on organisations keen on youth empowerment to tap into the talent pool of CYON for their benefit and the benefit of youths.”
The talent on offer is immense. CYON Lagos Archdiocese is divided into 20 deaneries: Agege, Ajah, Badagry, Epe, Festac, Iba, Ijanikin, Ijede, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Ilemba, Ipaja, Island, Isolo, Lekki, Maryland, Satellite, Surulere, and Yaba, with these deaneries comprising hundreds of parishes.
Given the number of youths under its care, CYON Lagos Archdiocese has accelerated efforts to upskill youths and provide opportunities for meaningful employment, particularly as the country’s economic woes have worsened over the past few years, impacting youths the hardest. The archdiocese has called on the government to do more. “A serious and visionary government will do all within her powers to create job opportunities for the teeming youths in order to stem the criminal tendencies that might result from idleness,” said Father Gabriel Odunaiya, National and Archdiocesan CYON Chaplain.
CYON Lagos Archdiocese has spearheaded several projects and initiatives for youths, including the Lagos Archdiocese Youth Policy, Lagos Archdiocese Youth Farm and Lagos Archdiocese Youth Centre.
Youths also gather to meet and exchange ideas at Archdiocesan Youth Day (AYD) and Archdiocesan Youth Camp, with these events having up to 5,000 youths present.
For more information on CYON Lagos, including its initiatives, follow on Twitter and Instagram (@cyonadclagos), and on Facebook CYON ADC LAGOS – a public group.
Below are some highlights of the event:
