IYD: BYLA rewards youths resilience, productivity, professionalism

By: Odieh Ramon, Yenagoa.

As parts of the celebration of this year International youth Day , about 28 young enterprising Bayelsan youths that have distinguished themselves in various endeavours were on Tuesday recognizised by the organizers of Bayelsa Youth Leadership Award (BYLA) for their roles in shaping the narrative of the state and their contributions to not only Bayelsa state , but to the Nigerian economy.

The 2025 award ceremony was the 9th edition. Bayelsa Youth Leadership Award is an initiative that is geared towards recognizing Youths that have contributed to state development in Agriculture, Sports, Entertainment, Entrepreneurship, Governance and Leadership and Academic amongst the rest.

In his welcome address, the Convener of Bayelsa Youth Leadership Award, Comrade Atti Joshua Moses said, he has seen that the state have many hardworking and committed youths in different spheres of life.

According to him, some are making waves in agriculture, some in sports, some in entertainment, some in activism among others. Hence the award ceremony was organized. “Bayelsa Youth Leadership Award is an initiative in rewarding excellence and creativity of youth and an advocate of youth development. That is why we give this award to some people that are not youth but they are an advocate because whenever youth matters arises they are always there to support or make a case for the youth”.

Comrade Atti said, 10th of August has been very sacrosanct since the inception of the award ceremony in 2017 to aligned with the International Youth Day. Saying a Day set aside by United Nations to celebrate the youth all over the world. ” This platform is to bring ourselves together and to celebrate ourselves, some might be wondering why comrade Atti is not recognizing or giving them award, the truth is that we cannot give award to everybody at once.

“If we give the award to everybody in one year, what happened to another year, we will not have people. That is why we are doing it step by step, those that received the award does not mean that you are the best amongst everybody, it is just an encouragement for you to be more committed to what you are doing, for you to be more committed to the development of Bayelsa state and i say a very big congratulations to those that receive the award. For others that have not received the award, they should please continue to contribute there quotas to the development of society.

“As a youth, let’s continue to contribute to the development of the state. We should shun all forms of social vices that brings negative thing to our state.Today International Youth Day is about the local youth to contribute their quotas to the development in achieving the SDGs”.

He advised the Youths to be enterprising and that they shouldn’t rely on government, saying they have seen that the government cannot give them what they want. “We should rely on ourselves and also know how we channel our grievances, is not everything that is about violent. We have passed that stage of violence, we have passed that stage of protest, we are in the stage of advocacy. We in the stage of intellectual expression, let’s work hard,God has given all that we need to succeed.

“My advice to the politicians and those in government, they should always carry the youth along.The Youths are not only tools for elections. The youth have a lot to contribute,” he said.

In his contribution, a member of the state Youth Parliament, Comrade Atekere Jerry who delivered a keynote address at the occasion noted that International Youth Day is always celebrated all over on the world on the 12th of August every year, which is why the Bayelsa youths gathered under the banner of BYLA to join the rest of the world to celebrate the day by giving awards to those that are making the state proud in both within and world at large.