GOODWILL SPEECH BY THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT, POLICE OFFICERS’ WIVES ASSOCIATION (POWA), CHIEF MRS. MUTIAT OLUFUNMILOLA DISU, AT THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2026 – NATIONAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP & SECURITY INITIATIVE

Protocol.

My dear young people,

I am here today not only as the National President of the Police Officers’ Wives Association, but first and foremost as a mother.

And when a mother looks at young people, she does not see statistics. She sees her children.

She sees dreams waiting to happen. She sees talent. She sees energy. She sees the next generation of leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, professionals, creators and nation-builders.

But a mother also worries.

We worry when young people are persuaded that violence is power. We worry when political thuggery is presented as a shortcut to relevance. We worry when social media becomes a place where misinformation travels faster than truth. And we worry when a young person begins to believe that his or her future is worth sacrificing for somebody else’s political ambition.

That is why I want to say something very simple to you today: your future is too valuable to be rented out.

Do not allow anyone to use your youth as a weapon and leave you to face the consequences alone.

Your future is greater than political thuggery. Your future is greater than cultism. Your future is greater than cybercrime. Your future is greater than hate, violence and misinformation.

You have something far more powerful: your voice, your ideas, your skills and your vote.

And yes, I want you to be politically conscious. I want you to ask questions. I want you to participate in democracy.

But do it peacefully.

You can disagree without becoming enemies. You can be passionate without becoming violent. You can support a candidate without losing yourself.

As mothers, we want to see you come home safely.

We want to see you build businesses, finish school, create technology, make music, tell stories, solve problems and sit at tables where decisions about Nigeria are made.

And in this digital age, let me add one more thing: think before you click; verify before you share.

Not everything that trends is true. Not everything that comes from a friend is factual. Not every video is real. Not every screenshot deserves your repost. 

A single careless post can inflame a community. A false claim can destroy someone's reputation. A manipulated video can create fear.

Your phone is powerful. Use it to build, not to destroy.

My dear young people, Nigeria does not need a generation that waits for permission to make a difference. We need a generation that is bold enough to lead and wise enough to lead responsibly.

The theme of this programme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” reminds us that although our backgrounds may differ, our hopes are remarkably similar.

We all want security. We all want opportunity. We all want dignity.
We all want a Nigeria where our children can dream and actually realise those dreams.

So, from one mother to the young people of Nigeria, I leave you with this:

Protect your future. Protect your peace. Protect your country.

Be the generation that chooses purpose over pressure, service over selfishness, truth over misinformation and leadership over thuggery.

And whenever anyone asks you to choose between violence and your future, remember:

Your future is greater than political thuggery.

God bless the Nigerian Youth. And God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thank you.