Post United Nations ECOSOC Youth Forum and Umunya Youth (UMUNYA VILLAGE INITIATIVE)

The 30th April 2026 Introductory program on The Post United Nations ECOSOC Youth Forum and Umunya Youth (UMUNYA VILLAGE INITIATIVE), was well attended.
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‎Forming highpoint for the occasion was the Competition Balloting for the 10 Villages in Ụmụnya, which came under the umbrella 4Es projects, namely, Education, Empowerment, Exchange and Entrepreneurship. These came within the theme of, 'Innovate, Unite and Transform Umunya Youth: Shaping the Road for Sustainability' ).
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‎Resource Persons that included Mr. Damian Egwuonwu (Program Coordinator, Umunya Youth Sustainable Network); Dr Ikedimma Okeke (HoD, Dept of Music, UNIZIK); Engr. Daniel Abalu (Youth Advocate, Barr JUNI & Irene Menakaya Foundation Int'l); Izeh Vincent M. Okafor (a Community Leader), as well as Nz'r. Okee-IGBO' (Youth Advantages Advocate, U-New-S), provided education to guide the Village participants on their choice of Projects. Thus, ennobling them to prepare ahead of the May 30, 2026 major event. 
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‎Mr. Egwuọnwụ gave the opening remarks. He recited the importance of the occasion and what the main program of May 30th holds for Ụmụnya youths, thanking the Barr JUNI and Irene Menakaya Foundation Int'l, led by Prof Adaeze Menakaya, for the worthy initiative and benevolence towards Ụmụnya. He called on the participants to show gratitude by working hard to explore the possibilities in this project. 
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‎Izeh Vincent Okafor (Gbulugbulu), who came up anecdotal with paper, captioned, "No Be Your Village Make You Poor —Na Your Mind." He was all crystal with what the audience easily related with.
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‎Harping on the revivalist cords, Izeh took turns in exploring the discomforting aggressive exuberant attitudes in today's youths and, while x-raying the points of dissent, gave corrections with subheadings like, "Stop Waiting for Government," "Your Character Is Your Capital," "Drop the 'Quick Money' Mindset," etc. He dropped on with homemade advices, saying it proverbially that, "Oké arụgbulu mma k'ana ajụ́ ase ọdụ ya." (You can only request for the tail of a well-roasted rat). 
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‎Nz'r. Okee-IGBO' (of the Ụmụnya New School), came in next. He opened up his motivational along three key elements which he highlighted as;
‎”The Power of Now,” "Embracing Uniqueness" and, "Channelling Energy & Adaptability." 
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‎According to him, NOW is the everything everyone has to realize the Future, because, "Yesterday is gone!” (Anecdote with a song-line of the Fleetwood Mac, as used by the campaign train of the former US President, Bill Clinton). 
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‎Emphasizing on the critical and fleeting reality of the youth-age he said that, "youth age is the real time for action, not just the preparation, in the lifespan of an individual." Thus, encouraging participants to look inward into themselves for energy —especially to channel efforts to where opportunities are mostly realizable, instead of waiting. He opined that STARTING SMALL is CURRENT.
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‎About "Embracing Uniqueness," Okee-IGBO advised youths to embrace their individual passions, and unique perspectives. It's better to build on one's innate supremacy, than racing to fit into other people's molds, he said. 
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‎Amplifying on the qualities about channelling energy, he stressed the importance of adapting the "3C’s of empowerment," namely; 
‎" Competence," " Confidence," and "Connection." He enjoined them to utilize natural creativity, including what is available, in solving problems. He said it like drawing from Seneca about self mastery.
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‎On "Resilience and Growth,"  he shared his convictions with relieving the mastery of a carpenter as God's example of a perfect profession.  According to him, the successes and failures (including vulnerabilities of a carpenter) are usually obvious yet, his overcoming his project's adversities weaves to the exquisite filigree.
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‎In conclusion the Nz'r gave what he called, "Actionable Advices." He exhorted the participants to engage their minds about Mentorship: seeking networking opportunities and making positive choices about who would influence their PUYSH ('Pushing/Pulling Until Your Skills High').  He called on them to start involving themselves in community social experience, i.e., if they hoped to gain family helps.
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‎Finally he thanked the organizers —The BARR JUNI & IRENE MENAKAYA FOUNDATION INT'L, ably chaired by Amb. Prof Adaeze Menakaya, for extending this drawn opportunity for our people. Adding that because for the first time ever, this kind of int'l program is coming from Onye Ụmụnya, who also has lofty ideas on how to salvage the youths at such a perilous time as now, Ụmụnya youths should feel challenged by showing commensurate responses or, regret later.
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‎He expressed his belief that the program would invariably engage the youngsters better than what they experience in the prevailing fragile social dynamics.
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‎Next was "Education and Ideas for Project Preparation," by Prince Engr. Daniel Abu of the Bar JUNI and Irene Menakaya Foundation. He gave useful insights on the 4E Pillars, namely;
‎"Digital Innovation & Skills for the Future, etc where he explained the opportunities of recent applications like Coding and AI . Furthermore, he talked about "Environmental Sustainability & Climate Action for tree planting, waste management, climate adaptation and green jobs."  He simulated on the chances of turning used things to wealth and prosperity through alignment with nature. 
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‎For the next two pillars, Engr Abu explored lucrative commitments in " Youth Entrepreneurship & Economic Empowerment, creating startups, agribusiness, the creative economy, and financial literacy."  He demonstrated proactive actions for implementing "Culture, Peacebuilding, Civic Engagement, enacting action for Umunya heritage, preservation, leadership, volunteerism, and community unity" with elements of culture and community expectations.
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‎The last of the technical presentation, " Reflection on the 4Es," was made by Dr Ikedinma Okeke (HOD of Music Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa),. 
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‎As the "Insight for Project Preparation" by participants, Dr Okeke laid groundwork for the task by mirroring the prevailing behavioral patterns of the youths.  He gave concrete examples, for instance in the production of sound beats in musicology, and suggested value changes and or value reorientation. He stated that small or even negligible inputs can bring financial security and royalties. He added that only positive minds can detect good opportunity and do follow ups in the right direction. 
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‎The HoD, Dr Okeke beseeched Ụmụnya youths to embrace moral values especially with humility. He ended his presentation in optimistic note, as he expressed sincerity that the Ụmụnya Youth Forum Initiative has the capacity there can be  for them to anchor themselves better in future.
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‎The Question and Answer segment offered room for exchange and clarifications: 
‎-Mr Nwaka, representing Ukunu Village, made valuable contributions on Entrepreneurship. 
‎-Comrade Nnamdi Nnagbo (Youth Leader, UDU), made commendations and gave tailored advice to the participants. 
‎-Mr Umelue (Ojobi Village), sought explanations about what is expected of participants. 
-Mr Chibuike Aniekwe (Amaezike), sought guidelines about the projects.
‎-Still, another participant wished to know if there's any entrepreneur venture that can provide quick yield. 
‎The resource persons did justice to the quizzes and provided genuine useable answers/approaches.
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‎ Apologies: The organizers apologized for the inability to join the virtual presentation of the Bar JUNI and Irene Menakaya Foundation. It was because of poor connectivity by the network providers 
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‎Apology was also offered for 'some mixup ' in the Proclamation which the participant-villages ought to sign for onward forwarding to relevant Nigeria and UN agencies. Expectedly this would be done on the 30th May 2026 event. 

Again, participants were asked to adjust to the initial ballot proposal (as originally intended for Competition). This means all contestant-villages would redo the balloting.
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‎Noteworthy is the Lunch, which came as the last of the day's activity. It was sumptuous and a time for interaction among attendees . At the end, group photo graphs were taken.
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~Nz'r Okee-IGBO 
Reporting.
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