The Managing Director of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Hon. Emmanuel Jime has charged the students of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria not to waste their future on cultism and other anti-social behaviour, saying the future belongs to them.

Jime, who gave the charge on Wednesday in Abuja when the Executives of the institution's Students Representative Council (ABUSRC) paid a courtesy visit in his Maitama-office, said as the leaders of tomorrow, it was incumbent upon youths to prepare themselves in terms of scholarship and character for the tasks ahead.

While thanking the union officials for the visit, Jime said that as a father, he owed them a duty to counsel them on the dangers of unguarded behaviours that are mostly borne of youthful exuberance rather than good judgment.

His words: “I am thankful for this visit, and out of thankfulness and also as a father, let me advise you. The future is yours. It belongs to you. Don’t miss it. You are the leaders of tomorrow, so don’t waste the opportunity even before it comes. If you want to be governors or presidents, the journey begins today.

“As I look at you, I see presidents, governors, ministers, senators, managing directors, ambassadors etc. That is your destiny. But to meet that destiny, and make the best of it, you have to prepare yourselves by way of sound scholarship, good character and a clear vision.

“Preparing for the future also entails shunning campus cults and other negative social behaviours like thuggery. They don’t add value, neither to your education nor to the journey of destiny. In my time, the terrible things we hear about today like students pulling triggers on other students were unheard of.”

Earlier, the leader of the seven-man ABUSRC team and former Secretary-General of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Dahiru Umar Maishanu explained that the team was in Abuja to congratulate Jime on his well-deserved appointment as NEPZA’s helmsman as well as pray for him.

Present at the visit were David Nongo, Oyesola Oyekunle, Muazu Ruma, Iya Gana Hassan, Aisha Iya Tahir (all General Managers), as well as Pius Ewenyi, Richard Obianu and Kamba (all Assistant General Managers).

Meanwhile, the Managing Director will on Thursday join the United States Ambassador to Nigeria and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources in Lagos for the signing ceremony and take-off of Tomaro Industrial Park in Amuwo-Odofin. He will proceed to the Kano Free Zone on Friday.

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