The race for Youth President in the Kokodiagbene Youth Development Movement, KYDM, the youth arm of oil-rich Kokodiagbene Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, has intensified with a new contender, Comr. Cousin Doutimi Prince, entering the race with a three-point agenda of unity, awareness creation on community heritage, and external opportunities for youth development.

The latest aspirant, Comr. Doutimi, made known his ambition to vie for the number one seat in the youth body during his campaign visit to the youths of the community on Saturday, July 1, 2023, in company of his supporters.

Comr. Doutimi, who is currently the Mobilization Officer in the Gbaramatu Kingdom chapter of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, said with his three-point agenda he hopes to give the youths a breathe of fresh air.

Speaking on his three-point agenda, he said if elected president, he intends to bring back the unity that once existed within the youth body, and that “with the help of the leadership, the chiefs, and every member that have KYDM at heart, when we all come together, I believe we can canvass KYDM back to that long-aged love that existed within them that we use to call ‘United We Stand, Divided We Fall'.”

He also said that there is the need for sensitization among the youths concerning their heritage in the community especially as such knowledge will help reduce issues bordering on land disputes in the kingdom as well as keep the youths informed on their history including those of autonomous communities.

On his third agenda he deposed that, "As a youth president, you ought to move as a person to bring exposure and probably to bring things that will attract them as a people. So, if I am being elected or given the mandate to pilot the affairs of KYDM for the next three years, I will not only bring KYDM to a place whereby it is just looking at Shell or Chevron (oil companies), I will still go out to fish out some things that will empower us as a people, for instance, empowerment training," Comr. Doutimi added.

He therefore appealed to the youths to consider him in his ambition, saying, “It’s not that I'm perfect, but because I have KYDM at heart and I believe if I'm given the mandate, I will do something that will make them feel comfortable with my presidency. So I'm appealing to them to give me their support for the next three years to see how I can lift KYDM to a high standard.”

Receiving the youth president aspirant of KYDM in Kokodiagbene community on behalf of the youths during the campaign visit are Mr. David Fellow, Mr. Williams Akoto, Mr. Nani Mala, Mr. Seiyefa Brubor, among other youth leaders in attendance.

Mr. Fellow, among others, commended the aspirant as well as advised him to stay true to his word and run an all-inclusive government when he eventually becomes the youth president of KYDM, and thereafter offered prayers of success for the aspirant.

It is gathered that the three-year tenure of the current youth executive body led by Comr. Godspower Ipopo will be due for a new executive by November 2023.

#penglobalpolitics #KYDM #Kokodiagbene #Gbaramatu