ABEOKUTA — The Royal Ambassadors of the Nigeria Baptist Convention has intensified its campaign against electoral violence, drug abuse and other social vices among young Nigerians, announcing plans to train more than 2,000 youths at its National Leadership Training Conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The association said the initiative was part of efforts to promote responsible citizenship, build leadership capacity and prepare young people to resist negative influences capable of undermining their future and the nation’s democratic process.
The Marshal of the association, Coun. Surv. Bitebo, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press conference at the Baptist Church, Ibara, Abeokuta, ahead of the conference themed “Divine Companionship.”
He explained that the annual gathering would bring together Royal Ambassadors from across the country to train trainers, evaluate the organisation’s activities, identify weaknesses and develop strategies for improved performance in the coming year.
The former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and the Toluwade of Akinale are expected to attend as special guests of honour.
Bitebo said the Royal Ambassadors was committed to raising young men who would demonstrate strong moral values, serve their communities and contribute to national development with integrity.
He stressed that the organisation’s activities extended beyond regular church meetings to include practical interventions aimed at addressing the challenges confronting young people.
“The Royal Ambassadors, as a missions and discipline organisation, has never seen itself as a club that meets on Sunday and disappears on Monday. We are raised to make disciples, and discipline is part of discipleship,” he said.
According to him, the association established an Anti-Social Vices Club in the states where it operates, with structures extending to the local government level to strengthen its campaign against harmful social practices.
He listed the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigeria Police Force, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the National Orientation Agency, school authorities, community leaders and civil society organisations among its partners.
The association, he added, was also exploring ways to support young people facing poverty, unemployment and other socioeconomic challenges that could expose them to criminal activities and negative influences.
Explaining the rationale behind this year’s theme, Bitebo said many young Nigerians were confronted with inadequate guidance and mentorship at a critical stage of their lives.
He noted that parental absence, economic hardship and the increasing demands on teachers and religious leaders had left some young people without the support needed to make responsible decisions.
“The deepest problem facing a young person in Nigeria today is not poverty alone. It is not unemployment alone. It is not even bad leadership alone. It is that he is walking his journey alone,” he said.
Bitebo called for stronger collaboration among families, religious institutions, schools and community leaders to provide young people with the guidance and support necessary for their personal development.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, he warned youths against accepting money or other inducements from politicians to engage in ballot-box snatching, voter intimidation, thuggery and other forms of electoral violence.
He cautioned that young people recruited to perpetrate violence often bear the consequences of their actions while the politicians who sponsor them remain insulated from the immediate hardship.
“If anything goes wrong, if a life is lost, if property is destroyed, the man who sent you will not be in the dock. He will be in his house, eating, while you sit in a cell,” he said.
The Royal Ambassadors marshal urged youths to reject political manipulation, protect their future and participate in the democratic process peacefully and lawfully.
He also appealed to parents, pastors and church leaders to pay closer attention to the conduct and associations of young people, particularly during the electioneering period, when they could become targets of political recruitment.
“Know their friends, know who is calling them, know who is giving them money. A boy who leaves the house in the morning and returns at night with a new phone deserves a question, not a celebration,” he said.
Bitebo expressed appreciation to the Ogun Baptist Conference, led by Coun. Moses Okunola, for accepting to host the national leadership training conference in Abeokuta.
He said the association remained committed to developing disciplined, responsible and socially conscious young men who would contribute to peace, security and sustainable national development.
