FCC Urges Enugu youths to Shun Fear, Pursue Federal Opportunities
By Wilfred Chukwuma
The Federal Character Commission, FCC, has urged youths in Enugu State to overcome fear, misinformation and the belief that federal employment opportunities are pre-allocated before advertisement.
Executive Chairman of the commission, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, gave the charge on Thursday at the Peter Eze Enugu Youth Connect 2026, held at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Enugu.
The event, with the theme, “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths Through the Federal Character Commission,” brought together youths and stakeholders to deepen understanding of federal opportunities, employment, education and skills development.
Declaring the programme open, Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, urged youths to prepare themselves for opportunities, stressing that government could open doors but individuals must possess the capacity to walk through them.
Onyia said youths should no longer be regarded merely as “leaders of tomorrow”, noting that they were already contributing significantly to society.
He advised them to acquire relevant knowledge and skills, develop competitive curricula vitae and take advantage of available opportunities to improve themselves.
According to him, opportunities would not favour the unprepared, as preparation remained critical to success in an increasingly competitive environment.
The SSG also emphasised the importance of confidence and self-knowledge, saying government had the responsibility to create an enabling environment for learning and skills application, while youths must take responsibility for their personal development.
He commended the organisers of the initiative and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to investing in young people as catalysts for innovation, productivity and economic transformation.
In her keynote address, Omidiran said the Federal Character principle should transcend numerical representation and ensure that qualified Nigerians had equitable access to opportunities to contribute to national development.
She urged Enugu youths to acquire relevant skills, embrace technology and pursue legitimate opportunities, stressing that equity and merit must work together.
“An opportunity might open a door, but competence, character and performance will determine how far an individual can advance,” she said.
The FCC chairman further warned youths against fraudulent recruitment schemes and deceptive offers, urging them to authenticate opportunities before applying.
She charged them to “dream boldly, prepare intelligently, work diligently, lead responsibly and serve selflessly,” while thinking nationally and competing globally.
Also speaking, the FCC Commissioner representing Enugu State, Hon. Peter Ogbonna Eze, said the initiative was designed to bridge the information gap that prevents many young people from accessing employment, scholarships, grants, fellowships, training and other opportunities.
Eze said more than 700 Federal Government ministries, departments, agencies, commissions and establishments offered employment and other opportunities nationwide, adding that the FCC had the constitutional responsibility to promote equitable representation and ensure compliance with federal character principles.
He noted that many Enugu youths had missed opportunities because of the misconception that advertised federal jobs had already been shared.
“No player has ever won a football match outside the pitch. You can barely get an opportunity you do not apply for,” he said.
Eze warned youths against paying money for legitimate government employment, urging anyone demanding payment for federal jobs to be reported.
“You do not need to buy a job; you need to prepare yourself,” he said.
He explained that the Peter Eze Youth Connect initiative was conceived to link young people with credible information, institutions and opportunities, thereby reducing dependence on godfathers and middlemen.
According to him, the programme would expose participants to opportunities in federal employment, grants, scholarships, fellowships, training, entrepreneurship and other areas.
He announced that five participants would receive fully funded undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships through the initiative, which he said would be sustained to ensure that information on opportunities reached youths across the state.
Eze urged the participants to become “ambassadors of opportunity” by sharing useful information and helping others gain access to opportunities.
He said true empowerment was not merely about financial assistance but about providing people with knowledge, skills, access and opportunities to build sustainable futures.
The programme ended with the presentation of fully funded undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships to five beneficiaries drawn from across the state.
The beneficiaries are Okoro Vivian Chinenye (Enugu North), Uche Michael Kenechukwu (Enugu West), Ugwu Chimaobi Paul (Enugu North), Chukwuemeka David (Enugu West), and Dr. Nnamdi Odo (Enugu North).
The organisers said the initiative was founded on the conviction that a young person could not pursue an opportunity he or she did not know existed.
The central message of the programme was that youths should connect, learn, prepare and pursue opportunities rather than wait for them.
EDITOR
Sam Udekwe is a journalist working in the News and Current Affairs department, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. He is well trained in all genres of journalistic venture.
Mr Sam read Mass Communication, graduating all with Distinction in National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma at IMT, Enugu and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, as well as M.Sc Mass Communication at National Open University of Nigeria.
He is the immediate past NUJ Chairman, Enugu state.
samowailo@gmail.com
