Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has urged Nigerian youths to make integrity, discipline and character central to their personal development, arguing that government can create opportunities but cannot substitute for values formed in families, schools, communities and religious institutions.
Hamzat spoke at a youth programme organized by the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry under the theme, ‘The Youth That Knows The Lord’, which attracted young participants from different parts of Nigeria and beyond.
Representing the Lagos State Government, the deputy governor said public authorities remained responsible for widening access to education, skills and employment, but warned that opportunities would have limited value if young people lacked discipline and strong ethical foundations.
He identified drug abuse, corruption and declining social values as concerns requiring responses from institutions beyond government alone.
Hamzat urged young people not to allow the pressure to become successful to push them towards dishonesty, violence or destructive habits. He said ambition should be matched with responsibility and that popularity should not be placed above integrity.
The deputy governor also warned against drug abuse, saying young people should protect their physical and mental wellbeing and resist peer pressure that could damage their future.
On civic responsibility, he called on youths to reject intimidation, harassment and violence and to become active contributors to Nigeria’s development rather than passive observers.
Hamzat said technology had opened major opportunities for enterprise and innovation but stressed that digital tools should be used responsibly and guided by truth and discipline.
He commended the church’s General Overseer, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, and Pastor Mary Muoka for convening the programme and said large gatherings of young people around faith, purpose and self-development could contribute to stronger communities.
The event ended with prayers for the Lagos State Government and the country, while the deputy governor expressed hope that participants would emerge as leaders and entrepreneurs capable of creating opportunities for others.
