The US government advocates the youth on the relevance of peaceful and non-violent strategy in ending the peril of violence and prejudice in the country.

CEOAFRICA news desk stumble upon this statement from the US Consul-General, Mr. Jeffery Hawkins, on Thursday, during the 50^th Anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a Dream’ Speech.

Mr. Hawkins, represented by the Consulate’s Public Affairs Officer, Dehab Ghebreab, described the “youth voice” as a powerful instrument that needed to be developed to make positive impact in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria.

Addressing youth groups including members of the National Youth Service Corps at the event, he advocated the Nigeria youths to draw lessons from Dr. Martin Luther King (jnr) and the Washington March which attracted an estimated crowd of 250,000 people, 50 years ago, stressing that the March on Washington should inspire the youth towards prompt action in order to have positive and timely impact on issues that can change Nigeria.

According to him, the 1963 March on Washington, showcases the power of the people to unite in proffering lasting solution to the national problem, pointing out the need for quality education, creation of employment opportunities and the need to end the lingering menace of insecurity posed by Boko Haram while respecting the principle of non-violence.

He however encouraged youths to fully exploit of their “creative abilities” and make their voices heard for “peace and progress” while taking part in leadership roles