On The News:
Youth TownHall Meeting: Burundi President, Evariste Ndayishimiye & Ambassador Elijah Onyeagba Charges Nigeria Youths on need to be proactively involved in Continental Development and Governance.

…I admire Nigerian youths,for their drives and creativities, Says Burundi President.

… encourages Nigerian Youths to remain united and mobilized for the only war worth fighting, the war against poverty.

By Paschal Candle.

Abuja - President Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi and Nigeria Ambassador to Burundi, Ambassador Elijah Onyeagba on Tuesday 30th May 2023 in Abuja Nigeria Capital charged Nigerian youths remain United and to prepare to take over political leadership and be proactively involved in African Development and Governance, saying there is no other time for them to do so than now.

The Burundian President and Ambassador Elijah Onyeagba made these remarks while addressing Nigerian Youths in a high level Townhall Meeting held in Rotunda Hall, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja. The event was organised by the National Youth Council of Nigeria in conjunction with the National Youth Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) & Nigerian Embassy Burundi under the able leadership of the Head of the Nigerian Mission, Ambassador Elijah Onyeagba PhD.

In His Opening Remark, H.E Amb Elijah Onyeagba thanked the Burundian President for finding it worthy grace and Chair the TownHall Meeting. He also thanked the President for youth inclusiveness in the Governance of Burundi, thereby championing the greater development of our youth within the East African economic bloc and Africa at large.

The Nigerian Ambassador also used this medium to thank H.E President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for his inaugural speech where he promised more Youth participation in the executive appointments in the country.

Addressing the youths, the President of Burundi, H.E Evaristé Ndayishimiye thanked the organisers of the event most especially H.E Ambassador Elijah Onyeagba for his commitment and diligence in ensuring that Nigeria and Burundi continue to have good international relations in all areas of the economy and encouraged the Nigerian youths to continue waxing stronger in their zeal for greatness in entertainment, arts, education, technology and sports.

In His remark, the Burundian President said, Today, the page of war has been definitively turned in Burundi. After realizing that without peace there is no development, and without development there is no peace, young people who were once mobilized in combat are now the best peacemakers and spearheads in the implementation of national community development policies. I am delighted today to see that the echoes of the efforts of the Government of Burundi resonate throughout the African continent and particularly here in Nigeria, a country with know-how and youth empowerment.


With Reference to His Country, The Burundian President said, To achieve this result in Burundi, we have organized civic and patriotic training sessions throughout the country and for all segments and categories of the Burundian population. We are very pleased with the awareness and awakening of the young people who are breaking with old mentalities and who are now engaged into development activities.

President Ndayishimiye went further to say that African demography is a double-edged knife; if young people are poorly supervised or abandoned to themselves without hope for tomorrow, they will easily be drawn into delinquency and crime, and therefore easy to be instrumentalized in the destruction of their own country and their own destiny by crooked political actors. We also know that the poor economic situation pushes some young people to take to the sea at the risk of their lives in search of a better life in the West. Thus, to prevent wars and resolve conflicts in a sustainable manner, a culture of peace and tolerance among young people should be promoted through peace-oriented education. Job creation and other supporting programs then become critical shields.

Whenever the opportunity arises, I appeal to policy makers to give youth a chance, because the socio-economic empowerment of young people is a response to the problems of poverty and insecurity. There are no more effective weapons than youth in the fight against poverty and in the prevention of conflicts.


In His closing remarks, Burundian President revealed his admiration for Nigerian Youths. This, he said, “If there is one thing I admire in Nigerian youth, it is your drive and creativity. Moreover, the musical, artistic and cultural industry driven by Nigerian youth is a textbook case on the continent and in the world.” Your know-how in these areas would be a great asset for those who want to invest in Burundi, which has enormous potential.

I would like to end by encouraging you to remain united and mobilized for the only war worth fighting, the one against poverty. African solidarity must now serve the development and economic independence of our countries. We must form a common front if we do not want history to repeat itself on our continent. You are the future and the time to act is now. I urge you, dear friends, to move from words to action and to embody the Union so preached and desired by our Pan-African elders.

In conclusion, Indeed, to realize the dreams of the African Union, African youth find themselves at a turning point in the history of the Continent: it is essential to define a common ideal and make our diversity a transforming force.

The high point of the event was the presentation of the Award of Youth Champion of Africa to the President of the Republic of Burundi and African Icon Of Youth Empowerment to Ambassador Elijah Onyeagba by the National President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Amb Sukubo Sara-igbe Sukubo which was followed by a group photograph with the youths.

Photos Speak:

(C) Paschal Candle in Abuja.

Ashiwaju Jagaban Presido