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Jacob Zhimomi and Y Kikheto Sema, right, at the 39th general conference of the AASU at Shokhuvi village, in Dimapur.[/caption]
Dimapur, Jan. 5 (EMN): Minister for Public Health Engineering N Jacob Zhimomi is not sure where students and youths in Nagaland today stand especially in an era where educated youths across the world are leading movements of change in society. The role of parents in teaching and educating youths to be change makers and assets instead of liability to society was also put to contrast.
It was during a students’ event in Dimapur that the minister remarked that ‘collective effort of all’ was required for the growth of the society—and the educated youth being the ones to be pivotal role players in it.
Zhimomi was addressing a gathering of students at the 39th general conference of the Aqahuto Area Students’ Union, at Shokhuvi village in Dimapur on Saturday morning. Updates, including some from the union, informed about the event and the minister’s address.
‘How can a society, where there is mistrust and disunity among the people, grow? The world has come to an era of youth empowerment and today, youths are leading the world in every field. However, where does the youth stand in the context of Naga society?’ he queried.
The minister challenged the students to be disciplined, humble and to pursue their goals. He encouraged the students to uphold the moral values of life. He urged them to seek for job oriented technical subjects and take up professional courses if they want to be able to fit into the competitive world.
Likewise, the minister was said to have urged parents and guardians to continually encourage and “teach their children to be hardworking in order to become self-sufficient and self-dependent and not a liability to anyone.”
On the first day of the conference i.e. Jan 4, Y Kikheto Sema, the commissioner-secretary for Finance and Land Resource was the special guest of the event. He spoke about ‘envisioning excellence’ and urged the youngsters from the Bible: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).
Sema said excellence cannot happen magically; it is a long process, the updates quoted him. ‘Excellence is not only in academic or jobs but excellence can happen in our own life values and quality of life. Irrespective of profession, you can also achieve excellence in your own ways,’ he stated.
The officer was also said to have been impressed with the work of farmers in Phek district “who sell their produce by keeping it at marketing shed without physically being present.” He said the price for each product was pinned and a box is kept aside so that any traveller can take the product and drop the money into the box. Sema said that the idea was an ‘excellent means of selling and even speaks a lot about the trust of the farmers on unknown people.’
Further, the government official advised the students to ‘always set their goals higher so that even if they can’t achieve the original goal they can still achieve the next target.’ They need to believe in themselves as self confidence is vital to every success, the updates stated. The officer encourgaed them to learn from the best people and get their advice. Without hard labour, he said, there is no short cut to success. Students should also learn to be flexible and adaptable according to situation and adjust with it, he said.
Another matter which the speaker was raised was about speakers and guests “paying” at events that they are invited to address.
According to the updates the officer lamented that in other states or countries, people pay the speakers and guest. But in Nagaland, it is the other way round. “We invite people to come and speak and on top of that we also expect many other things from them. We should change this culture,” the union added.