The Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, TSSNL, Chief Kestin Pondi, has reaffirmed his commitment to support the Kokodiagbene Youth Development Movement, KYDM, and other youths in Gbaramatu Kingdom as their empowerment and development remains his personal responsibility.

The Tantita Boss, represented by his personal secretary, Comr. Doubra Wuruyai, gave the pledge at the inauguration of the Comr. Blessing Laide-led Kokodiagbene Youth Development Movement, KYDM, that held in the community town hall on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.

Other KYDM exco members include Layefa Timadi, Vice President; Seiwei Peres, General Secretary; Glory Wilikie, Public Relations Officer; Fellow Faith, Financial Secretary; Gift Timiyan, Assistant Secretary; and Brubor Mary, Treasurer.

The immediate-past KYDM exco are Comr. Godspower Ipopo (president), Comr. John Akaruwei (vice president), Comr. Esther David (secretary), Comr. Epebitimi Ukuli (assistant secretary), Engr. Ezekiel Akafawei (public relations officer), Comr. Seiwei Peres (financial secretary), Comr. Juliet Kalaoru (treasurer) and Comr. Richard Ekpetipu.

Earlier, the immediate-past youth president, Comr. Godspower Ipopo, on behalf of his executive members thanked all stakeholders for their support during his tenure in office and called for unity in the youth body.

Barr. Werisinde Timiyan, in company of Barr. Friday Emotimide, and Barr. Torke Ekpetun AICMC, administered the oath of office on the new KYDM executive members. The exercise was witnessed by stakeholders with a guest appearance from Prince Peretimiebi Timiyan, son of His Royal Majesty, Elder Capt. King Dr. Joseph Ijawperebo Timiyan JP, Torububou 1, Agbonu, the Ebenanaowei of Ogulagha Kingdom.

In his acceptance speech, Comr. Liade thanked stakeholders for turning up massively to witness the inauguration as well as for their support. He promised to run an all-inclusive government during his tenure and appealed to stakeholders for their continuous support.

Comr. Wuruyai, while delivering a message from Chief Pondi during the counsel session of the ceremony, said: "Democratic processes like elections are normal to build personal capability. In every competitive society you will always have people showing interest. If the youth body is not an interesting entity, you will not see people coming to compete. But the most important is maintaining good character during that competitiveness, which is, when you win election, it is not a matter of the winner takes it all. You embrace everybody, you work with everybody. When you ask questions you know more.

He informed stakeholders in attendance that the Tantita Boss congratulates the new inaugurated KYDM exco and that "his door is wide open for Kokodiagbene youths to always come in and that he will support the youths to progress" and added that "Kokodiagbene and every other communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom are his own personal responsibility as someone who grew up from the grassroot. He said I should appreciate you people and that he will continue to support the youth leadership and the development of the community."

Also offering his counsel, a councilor in the Warri South-West Local Government, Hon. Kelvin Ojogun, congratulated the newly inaugurated exco and commended the youth body for their zeal in fostering unity among it, a feature the councilor admitted has made the KYDM an enviable youth platform which is becoming a model for other youth exco in Gbaramatu Kingdom.

Mr. Kelvin Igere, a youth leader, urged the youth president and his cabinet members to lead by example and not to be biased, to bring people together to share ideas before taking any decision, to plan together, to be transparent, and to audit information before circulating such to the public to avoid spreading false information. He also advised them to align with the community leadership, and that as a youth leader the president should apply wisdom when dealing with issues concerning the youths.

Also speaking, Mr. Gabriel Ukuli, charged the youth president and his cabinet members to focus on human capital development by investing on the youths to acquire skills that will make them to be independent and that the president should let each cabinet members to function according to their designated offices in order to build capacity in his team.

For Mr. David Fellow, he urged the youth exco to work together with the community leadership to address issues confronting the youth body. He also counseled against bias and that every youth should be accorded their right, just as he called on all to support the new exco by contributing their part so that collectively the youth body will make progress.

Another youth leader, Mr. Bako Igere, on his part appealed to the youth exco to look beyond the oil and gas sector for empowerment despite Kokodiagbene an oil producing territory, but that there are other areas especially in building human capacity through entrepreneurship in order not to be totally reliant on the oil companies.

The inaugurated KYDM executives, elected Thursday, September 14, 2023, will serve a tenure of three years.

#penglobalcommunity #KYDM