IYN Hosts 5th Annual Leadership Seminar

Inspire Youth Network Nigeria (IYNN) is a Single Unit Youth Group founded by Rev. Fr. Victor Makinwa Ogunyemi about 5years ago. The group’s mission is to build a generation of youths that makes a difference with a vision to inspire, form and educate young people.

With an Episcopal approval and blessings of His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan (CON), the Archbishop  the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja. IYN Nigeria are missionaries in the youth apostolate, ministers in the knowledge of the faith. Although it is not Parish based or Diocesan but located in the Archdiocese of Abuja.

Its 5^th Annual Leadership Seminar held on Saturday 17^th January, 2015 at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Auditorium titled “Leadership A Tool For Evangelism” gathered youths from all parts of Nigeria with Rev. Fr. Lawrence Abanobi, Charles Ekpe (National CYON President), Fidelis Edokpa (Former Benin Provincial CYON President), Barr. Tony Ojo (CYON President, Our Lady Queen of Nigeria, Pro-Cathedral, Abuja) in attendance.

The programme which started at about 9am lasted for hours with series of interactions (with participants fully involved), group discussions, symposiums on church’s documents (Catholic) such as “Inter mirifica” (social communication) and “Ad Gentes Divinitus” (the mission activity of the church)” coupled with questions and answers.

In the course of the inspirational talk delivered by a writer Mrs. Caroline Enemarie on Purpose Driven Life, she lamented on why the youths keeps failing by narrowing the problems to Fear of the unknown, lack of vision, poor planning, environmental factors. She reminded the youths the need to return to God, identify areas they know they can be useful or fit in and above all labour diligently in order to achieve their dreams.

She also admonished the participants saying and I quote:

“Your life should be a life that has purpose”

“Sell yourself and let people know you are there”

During the day’s interactions, the youths raised alarm of being used, abandoned/neglected and spelt out their needs as Religious, Economical and Political as they pledge full participation in the forth coming elections.

The coordinator/founder of the group Rev. Fr. Victor Ogunyemi cautioned and advised the youths on the use of social media.  

According to the coordinator,

“The best and fastest place to be a missionary is the social media”

“We need social communication to spread missionary activities”

 “Youths should be very careful on the content they spread on social media like facebook, twitter, instagram etc” he said.

The group’s drive to forming, educating and inspiring a young generation of youths that makes a difference have a full package of activities for the youths this year which includes Inspire Talent Hunt, Youth Camping, Youth Faith Summit, Monastery Experience, Achievers Platform Reality Show etc. with good prizes to be won.