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| Mr. Dan Obo |
By Oluchi Omai
Dan Obo, National Vice-Chairman (South-South) of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and Special Adviser on Youth Mobilisation to the Governor of Cross River State, today detailed the Council’s successes and its effects on young people in Cross River and beyond.
Speaking at a media briefing in Calabar, Mr Obo began by thanking attendees for the opportunity to discuss the South-South region’s youth agenda. He noted his recent elevation to a national leadership post as a privilege and stressed that Cross River’s youth have often been under-represented at the federal level. “Our strength is more domesticated,” he said. “When it comes to national conversations, you seldom find Cross Riverians daring to hold sensitive positions.”
Mr Obo outlined his tenure as State Chairman of the NYCN in Cross River, which he left in June 2024. He recalled inheriting an organisation with only local-government structures and a ₦5 million subvention. By December 2024—when he handed over—he had doubled the subvention to ₦10 million, established ward-level branches, and secured the state’s reputation as home to the country’s best youth council chapter.
He also highlighted the Council’s enhanced outreach, citing the unprecedented third session of the Cross River Youth Parliament, and praised the improved branding, financial stability, and direct access to the State Governor without the need for ministry intermediaries. “These changes give this generation independence in decision-making,” he said.
Addressing recent accusations of impropriety, Mr Obo dismissed claims that a senior official had paid him ₦20 million to influence the Council’s transition. “No evidence emerged, and no one has apologised,” he remarked. He went on to reaffirm his commitment to transparent youth leadership in a “turbulent environment”.
Turning to politics, he warned that voter incentives—exercise books or small cash handouts—have begun to substitute genuine accountability. “Politics is like football; everybody has their interest. Youth must voice opinions on service delivery and governance,” he urged.
Looking ahead, Mr Obo explained plans to extend Cross River’s model across the six-state South-South zone. Chairmen have already been appointed in five states, with Delta preparing for elections and Akwa Ibom operating under a caretaker committee. “We will replicate our programmes in agriculture, education and political engagement. Leadership is availability; we will make ourselves available to the people,” he said.
Finally, in his capacity as Special Adviser on Youth Mobilisation, Mr Obo pledged to mobilise and sensitise young people to the State Ministry of Youth’s development initiatives. “This appointment allows me to support the system more and expand our scope in empowering youths across Cross River.”
The National Youth Council’s strengthened structures and emerging youth-led initiatives, Mr Obo argued, are already reshaping opportunities for young Nigerians in the South-South and fostering a new generation of accountable leaders.
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