THE Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Chief Sunday Dare, CON, has called on Nigerian youths to take full advantage of the youth-focused initiatives of the Tinubu administration, describing them as champions of the government’s Renewed Hope agenda.
News Point Nigeria reports that speaking on Thursday at the Arise Congress 2.0, themed “The Emergence of Champions”, Dare addressed a mammoth crowd of over 24,000 youths at the Baptist International Convention Centre along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The four-day event, which runs from September 3 to 6, 2025, brought together young people from across the country under the auspices of the Nigerian Baptist Convention’s Youth and Student Ministries.
Dare, who also chairs the Youth and Student Ministries Advisory Board of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, stressed that President Tinubu had deliberately designed policies and programs to give young Nigerians the tools and opportunities to thrive.
“Nigerian youths are the champions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. This government has created platforms for you to reach your potential and excel through faith, talent, and skills,” Dare said in his keynote address.
He underscored the importance of personal values, insisting that success goes beyond government support.
“I am not here to talk politics. What I want you to know is that character, discipline, determination, and self-motivation are the keys to greatness. The opportunities are there, what matters is how you use them,” he added.
Dare listed some of the flagship programs targeted at young people under the Tinubu administration, including:
NELFUND Tuition Loans and Stipends – Over 600,000 students now benefit from the scheme, designed to make education more affordable.
Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer – Aimed at supporting three million vulnerable households with affordable housing.
Food Security and Poverty Alleviation Programs – Release of thousands of metric tons of grains from federal reserves and emergency nutrition support across several states.
He encouraged youths to leverage these opportunities not just for personal growth but also to positively impact their communities.
The event also featured a strong presence of religious, civic, and community leaders. Among them were Rev. Israel Adelani Akanji, FAR (Convener and President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention); Rev. Dr. S. Olawuyi James (Host and Director of Youth and Student Ministries); Rev. Dr. Israel Kristilere (Chairman of the Central Planning Committee); Rev. Michael Onyegbu; Pastor Fela Durotoye; and CP Lanre Ogunlowo, Commissioner of Police for Ogun State.
With over 24,000 young people in attendance, the Arise Congress 2.0 was both a faith gathering and a rallying call for youths to embrace responsibility, seize opportunities, and champion the cause of national development under the Tinubu administration.