By Emeka Odogwu
The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion has approved the raising of a Five Billion Naira Investment Fund towards its Youth Development Initiatives.
This will be done through the Joshua Generation International Youth Conference.
The Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba announced this at the just concluded standing committee meeting at St. Andrew’s Basilica Trans Ekulu, Enugu State.
Archbishop Ndukuba noted that the Church cannot afford not to invest in the young people who are the future of the Church and the country at large.
He added that while building big churches and cathedrals are good, the church must focus on building the occupants who are the young people.
Archbishop Ndukuba affirmed that the fund will be invested and managed by reputable fund managers to help develop young people across the Church, spiritually, skill development, career opportunities, ICT and infrastructures etc.
His words: “Most of us here, will no more be here in the next 10 to 20 years, and we must deliberately invest in those who will continue from where we stopped”.
The Standing Committee meeting, by approving this initiative has mandated the anchor bishop of the Joshua Generation International Youth Conference (JGIYC), The Rt. Rev’d Aloysius Agbo to work out the modalities of raising this fund and setting up the board of trustee who will manage the fund properly under the Youth Mission Investment Fund which will be chaired by Chief Toyin Okeowo, the CEO of Metropolitan Motors, Lagos.
The anchor bishop while presenting the proposal to the meeting noted that the JGIYC has taken a great step forward with organizing various youth oriented trainings which includes various ICT training, Movie and film production, CoNAC Football Club, Music Academy among others.
He added that the next conference will be having more representatives of Youth organizations from other African and Gafcon Countries in attendance while in 2026, the Gafcon will be mobilizing youths across the world to Nigeria to attend the conference. A booklet that gives a summarized impact of JGIYC called “The Acts of the Holy Spirit at JGIYC” can be read here: https://anglican-nig.org/the-acts-of-the-holy-spirit-in-jgiyc-2021-2024/
The fund raising plans, have commenced immediately and he urged all visionary members of the church and the public to key into this. He noted that awareness to various selected dioceses, groups and individuals will be done starting from next month.
