The Member Federal House of Representatives Surulere Constituency 1, Hon. Fuad Laguda, the Deputy Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly Lagos, Mojisola Meranda has charged youths to take active part in governance and preserve Lagos cultural heritage if they are to contribute to the development of the nation.
The duo spoke on Wednesday at the ‘eko’Legislative Conference 5.0 organised by the National Union of Lagos State Students, Lagos State University chapter with theme ‘ Eko as Legacy: Leadership, Lawmaking, and the Preservation of its Cultural Heritage.”
Speaking on the topic ‘Youth Policy and Power: Why young people must understand the system ‘ Fuad urged youth to show active interests in governance processes rather than being passive.
He reminded them that without understanding how governance works, young people will not be able to sustain, improve or protect it noting that Lagos State government had put in place various programmes to help young entrepreneurs.
“Our young people want power but do not understand how the system works. The youth are not taking advantage of programmes supporting young entrepreneurs provided by Lagos State government. Policy exists but understanding how governance works is missing. You can’t engage in a process you do not understand. When young people are absent from the process, their needs can not be met. If young people do not understand, they risk being excluded from a system designed to help them.
He, therefore, urged the youth ‘to engage not just observe’, adding that they ‘cannot influence what you do not engage.’
The Deputy Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda represented by the Senior Legislative Adviser to the Deputy Speaker, Adeleye Adelekan in her keynote address said while the lawmakers make laws, their laws also shape the moral and structural foundation of society, protect and preserve our heritage.
“Every law we enact must reflect who we are as a people, not just who we aspire to be. This means protecting our heritage, not as relics of the past but as living, evolving assets that must be preserved, respected, and modernized.
Leadership, therefore, is not just about authority. It is about responsibility to protect what defines us while creating room for progress. True leadership listens to the past, engages the present, and prepares the future, “ she said.
She gave assurance of the commitment of the Lagos House of Assembly to enact laws and support initiatives that preserve our cultural heritage, languages, arts and traditional institutions.
On his part, the Ologba of Ogba Kingdom, Oba Egbeyemi Oladimeji called for collaboration between political leaders and traditional rulers in order to formulate policies that connect with cultural realities.
“Political power may rotate but cultural authorities remain. Traditional systems are continuous. Leadership without ethics is stability in slow motion. Many policies failed because they are disconnected from cultural realities. Traditional rulers and political leaders must collaborate to preserve our culture.’
The convener of the conference and Speaker of the National Union of Lagos State Students, LASU Students Parliamentary Council, Ishola Mustapha said the theme was chosen due to the rich cultural heritage of Lagos State and how lawmakers and political leaders can use law to serve not just as an instrument of governance, but as a guardian of culture, a protector of identity, and a bridge between generations.