Focus on education not quick success, A’Ibom PDP gov candidate urges youths

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for governor in Akwa Ibom State, Eng. Emem Coffie, has urged Nigerian youths to focus on education and skills acquisition rather than seeking quick success. Coffie warned that the growing perception that education is a waste of time could undermine youth development, emphasizing that academic knowledge provides the foundation for specialization and professional competence.

He has sponsored hundreds of students in Akwa Ibom State, Enugu, and Abuja, highlighting the importance of education in the development of advanced countries. Coffie stressed that engineering, for example, is 90% scientific theory and 10% empirical knowledge, and stressed the necessity of understanding scientific principles for practical work.

He advocated for reforms that would enable young people to complete university education early, identify their talents, and specialize in their chosen careers without unnecessary delays. Coffie called for government support for vocational training, entrepreneurship, and other trades, emphasizing that not everyone needs to attend university.

He proposed apprenticeship schemes and support for small and medium-scale enterprises to create jobs and improve residents' incomes. Coffie's development agenda, called "A New Drive Back to the Genesis," focuses on human capital development, industrialization, skills acquisition, and support for small businesses, emphasizing the importance of going back to the master plan and executing it again.