Former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, along with his wife, met with the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, at the Commonwealth Headquarters in London.
Obi in a statement posted on his X page on Friday said the discussions of the meeting which took place yesterday focused on youth empowerment, education, and democracy.
The 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, added that the conversations centered on ways to strengthen democracy, deepen the rule of law, expand access to education, and effectively empower young people across the Commonwealth’s 56 member nations.
Obi highlighted that with over 2.5 billion of the Commonwealth’s population under the age of 30, young people are the organization’s most valuable asset.
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For Nigeria, he stressed that the key to unlocking the vast potential of the youth lies in meaningful investment in education, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Obi asserted that a properly equipped youth population would drive national development and contribute to global progress.
He identified youth unemployment as one of the most pressing challenges of the time, arguing that it demands intentional and practical measures, including skills development, access to quality education, and creating a supportive environment for small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).
Obi commended her leadership, describing her as a trailblazer whose dedication strengthens the global Commonwealth community.
However, Botchwey, the first African woman to lead the Commonwealth, reaffirmed that education, youth engagement, and job creation are among her top priorities. She spoke passionately about the need to build inclusive societies that promote democracy, good governance, justice, and equal opportunity.
The Secretary-General stressed that empowering young people is indispensable not only for sustaining democracy but also for shaping a stable, peaceful, and prosperous future for all Commonwealth citizens.
