Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, December 18
The youths of the Naga society have become nothing more than extremely dependent persons that look down upon people who labor and work.
Yet, the same Naga youth population that depends on others was also the ones that desire to live a life of comfort and ease. This uncomfortable but widely relevant statement reflecting the absence of dignity of labor among Naga youths was one of the scathing messages that a recent students’ conference of the Naga Students’ Federation highlighted recently. President of the Naga Students’ Federation Tongpang Ozükum on Thursday urged the young to realize their responsibilities to the people and society. The student’s leader urged them to uphold the principle of dignity of labor, as well as respect their rich culture and traditions as descendents of hardworking and honest forefathers.
The students’ leader was addressing the quinquennial, the 23rd general conference of the Naga Students’ Federation in Süngkotenem Park of Mopungchuket village under Kobulong sub-division in Mokokchung district.
Tongpang Ozükum lamented that the younger generation of the Naga people had become extremely dependent on others. Their dependence has come to such a point, the student leader lamented, that they now look down on people who work as manual laborers. Interestingly, even as they depend on others, and look down on people who labor, the Naga youths desire to live comfortable lives instead of working hard and living an honorable life like their forefathers used to.
Pointing out the lethargy of the youths, Ozukum asserted that “unless the youth change this attitude and realized the feeling of oneness and work together to change the Naga society from top to bottom, we will never progress.”
“In order to bring positive changes in our society, we must first come out of our cocoons, break the barriers of tribalism, unite as one people in true spirit and work for a better tomorrow,” he said. He encouraged them to be united, as people of once culture if they wish to bring changes in the Naga society.
The NSF president lauded the villagers of Mopungchuket village by calling them a responsible community that embraced work culture and upheld the rich culture and traditions of their forefathers. This has impacted a cultural difference compared to others, he said. The students’ leader also lauded the initiative taken up by the Mopungchuket Ait Laishir Telongjem for organizing the quinquennial celebration of 23rd NSF General Conference 2009 here.
Mopungchuket Ait Laishir Telongjem’s information secretary Limalenden Longkumer also spoke. He shared reminiscences of the 23rd NSF general conference of 2009. He said the event was the first and any time that a general conference of the Naga Students’ Federation was held in Ao Naga village.
In such as case, he said hosting the general conference was the ‘biggest ever endeavor’ that the Mopungchuket Ait Laishir Telongjem had ever undertaken in partnership with the Ao Students’ Conference so far.
The NSF president was accompanied by the federation’s Auditor General Jungithung Yanthan, Secretary of Education Bangdi Chawang and Deputy Speaker Imti Jamir.
The last general conference of the Naga Students’ Federation in the Ao country was held in the year 2009. The conference was hosted by the Ao Students’ Conference, the apex students’ organization of the Ao Naga community. The event was staged during the leadership of former Naga Students’ Federation president Imchatuba Imchen.
Other leaders of the Mopungchuket Ait Laishir Telongjem as well as leaders of the Mopungchuket Village Council also spoke during the event.
