Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajuddin Abbas, has said the youth are vital to strengthening Nigeria's democracy.
Mr Abbas said this during the grand finale of the National Quiz Competition held in Abuja on Monday National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for secondary school students in six geo-political zones of the country.
Represented by Mark Useni, Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education, the Speaker said youth development was an important part of the legislative agenda of the 10th House under his leadership.
Mr Abbas charged the quiz participants to internalize the lessons learned from it, saying their engagement with democracy was not a one-time event but a lifelong journey.
“Whether you want to be a lawmaker, teacher, entrepreneur or activist, your understanding of how legislatures and democracy work will guide your decisions and actions,” he said.
The essence of the competition, the Chairman said, apart from winning prizes, is to broaden the knowledge of the participants about Nigeria’s democratic heritage and legislative processes.
Shri Abbas appreciated NILDS for organizing the quiz competition, saying that it helps in promoting students' understanding of democracy and civic governance.

The chairman said the quiz initiative is “a testament to NILDS's commitment towards legislative advancement, democratic education, youth empowerment and nation building, and it is something we should all celebrate and support.”
Why we organized the quiz – NILDS Director General
In his remarks, the Director General of NILDS, Abubakar Suleiman, said the competition was to provide students with continuing education on the legislature, its history, practice and procedure.
Professor Shri Suleman explained that the objective of the quiz was to encourage a deeper understanding of civic and democratic governance in the country.
He said the goal of the competition is to encourage young students' interest in politics and make them more active in matters related to legislature and democracy.
Mr Suleman said, democratic participation is a fundamental pillar of our governance system and it must include children and youth.
ALSO READ: Independence anniversary: What Tinubu said about economy, security, youth (full text)
He said, “One way to engage our children very early in their development is through civic education which is an important and effective tool that facilitates citizen participation in democratic and development processes.”
about quiz
The quiz competition, now in its 9th edition, kicks off in six geo-political zones, followed by the gathering of regional winners in Abuja for the grand finale.
At this year's grand finale, which was anchored by renowned broadcaster Cyril Stober as quiz master, Enitona High School, Port Harcourt emerged champions.
The school representing the South-South zone scored 70 points to emerge victorious, while School for the Gifted, Gwagwalada, FCT, which represented the North-Central, scored 65 points to emerge victorious while the School for the Gifted, Gwagwalada, FCT, which represented the North-Central, scored 65 points to emerge victorious.
Also, Bishop Otubelu Juniorate, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu State, which represented the South East zone, came third with 55 points.
Two participants from each region from North-West, North-East and South-West were eliminated from the first and second rounds respectively due to insufficient marks.

The participants were given laptops and participation certificates, while the winners were given scholarships and cash prizes.
Other dignitaries who attended the event included Sariki Dahiru, a member of the Governing Council of NILDS, Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu, represented by the Clerk of the National Assembly, represented by Ali Umoru and Ginger Onwusibe, a member of the Abia State House of Representatives.
Support Premium Times journalism with integrity and credibility
At Premium Times, we believe strongly in the importance of high-quality journalism. Recognizing that not everyone can afford an expensive news subscription, we are dedicated to delivering carefully researched, fact-checked news that is freely accessible to all.
Whether you turn to Premium Times for daily updates, in-depth investigations of national issues, or entertaining trending stories, we value our readers.
It's important to acknowledge that news production costs money, and we take pride in never putting our stories behind a prohibitive paywall.
Would you consider supporting us by making a modest contribution on a monthly basis to help maintain our commitment to free, accessible news?
Contribute
Text Ads: Call Willy – +2348098788999
(TagstoTranslate)Abubakar Suleman(T)Democracy(T)Director General of NILDS(T)NILDS National Quiz Competition(T)Speaker Tajuddin Abbas(T)Tajuddin Abbas
Source link