The Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, has encouraged young people in Enugu State to prepare themselves adequately for available opportunities by developing competence, discipline, integrity and practical skills.
Omidiran made the call while delivering a keynote address at the Peter Eze Youth Connect 2026 held at the International Conference Centre in Enugu. The event was organised under the theme, “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths Through the Federal Character Commission.”
The FCC chairman stressed that equity and merit should complement each other rather than be viewed as opposing principles. She explained that while access to an opportunity may provide an opening, an individual’s competence, character and performance determine how far they can progress.
She urged Enugu youths to adopt a national outlook, compete internationally, embrace technology, develop strong professional relationships and actively pursue legitimate opportunities available to them.
Omidiran also called on government agencies and institutions to provide clear information about available opportunities and ensure that access is fair, transparent and impartial. She further encouraged young Nigerians to turn difficult experiences into strength and use their achievements to create opportunities for others.
Earlier, the FCC Commissioner representing Enugu State, Peter Eze, advised young people not to assume that federal government employment is restricted to individuals with political connections. He maintained that qualified applicants can secure government opportunities by following the appropriate procedures.
Eze noted that misinformation suggesting that federal jobs had already been allocated before advertisements were published had discouraged many qualified young people from applying for available positions.
He therefore urged youths not to exclude themselves because of fear or assumptions that recruitment exercises had already been predetermined. According to him, prospective applicants must first submit themselves for consideration before they can be assessed.
The commissioner explained that the FCC has a constitutional mandate to promote equitable representation in federal institutions. He added that more than 700 federal ministries, departments, agencies, commissions and other government establishments provide employment and related opportunities.
He said the youth programme was also intended to introduce participants to grants, scholarships, fellowships, training programmes and other legitimate opportunities. Five participants, he disclosed, would be selected to receive fully funded scholarships for studies abroad.
Eze added that the initiative would continue beyond the event through the creation of a network that would enable young people to access and exchange information about genuine opportunities.
Declaring the programme open, the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, said the state administration would continue investing in young people as part of its strategy to build a sustainable and prosperous future.
Onyia described youths as one of the government’s most important long-term investments, stressing that they should be given opportunities to acquire knowledge and skills and take on responsibilities that would contribute to the development of the state.
He disclosed that the state government was working to create an environment where young people could acquire relevant skills, establish businesses and compete for opportunities beyond their immediate communities.
The SSG further revealed that nearly 15,000 young people in Enugu had received training in various computer technology skills, while the government was also developing infrastructure aimed at supporting economic growth across the state.
Onyia similarly advised young people to prepare themselves for opportunities, noting that although governments and institutions can create access, individuals must acquire the necessary skills, qualifications and credentials to take advantage of those opportunities.
He encouraged the youths to embrace networking, technology, innovation and international opportunities, describing them as “the leaders of today” rather than simply the leaders of tomorrow.
The SSG commended the organisers and partners of Peter Eze Youth Connect for creating a platform that connects young people with opportunities, including the fully funded scholarships for five participants.
He urged the beneficiaries to make the most of the opportunities provided to them and use their achievements to create similar pathways for others, stressing that the broader objective was to connect people across Enugu State with every legitimate opportunity available to them.
The event attracted more than 1,000 young people from the 17 local government areas of Enugu State and beyond, including students, persons with disabilities and members of the National Youth Service Corps.