‘African Youth suffer from Political Confusion’
Write-up by Steve Kakrabah-Quarshie
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Abbey-Quaye, Assistant Secretary General of the National Catholic Secretariat, has noted with concern that African Youth were bearing the brunt and bitter fruits of Political confusion in the continent.
He said they had often been used by Politicians for propaganda and violence, “while their welfare has been relegated to the background”.
The Assistant Secretary General pointed out that in many African Countries the educational system had broken down and the youth were entering adult life very poorly equipped to face the future.
Fr. Abbey-Quaye was addressing a recent Pan-African Meeting of Youth and Children in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
The meeting was organized by the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), and attended by 120 delegates from African countries.
It was on the theme: Opportunities for Youth in Society and the Church – The Role of the Church in Africa Today.
He called on Political, Religious and Civil leaders in Africa “to get involved in the formation and education of the youth to move Africa forward in the right direction”.
Fr. Abbey-Quaye also urged the Church to help the youth of Africa to sharpen their scientific and technical expertise for the development of the continent.
The Church in Africa, Fr. Abbey-Quaye added, had recognized the many challenges including illiteracy, broken homes, single-parenting, idleness, isolation, marriage problems and anxiety that were facing the African Youth.
He told the Meeting that, many African youth drop out of school, join gangs to commit crimes and violence “while others end up committing suicide due to frustration and lack of hope in life”.
The Assistant Secretary General pointed out that poverty has had a negative impact on the youth “who embark on the adult life with very little enthusiasm and look to the future with a sense of hopelessness”.
He mentioned the dangerous adventure of many African youth trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea, dubbed the Mediterranean cemetery into Europe and Asia for greener pastures only to become economic refugees.
Fr. Abbey-Quaye noted that some of the African youth had not fully understood the Church’s teaching and faith resulting in their seeking answer from various religious sects, prayer camps and shrines, while others leave the Church completely.
He called on society to listen to the youth, appreciate, acknowledge and engage them rather than command them.
He entreated the church to set up Functional Youth Counselling Centres to equip them with the requisite skills for work.
He reminded the delegates that the youth form the majority in both the church and the African Society and must therefore be seen as assets to the continent.
Fr. Abbey-Quaye encouraged the Church to advocate and lobby African Governments to implement youth policies for their common good.
The church, he stated, had a mission to seek the integral development of all persons, adding that the role of the Church in helping the youth of Africa should include motivating them to see the economic opportunities that exist in the continent.
“Catholic youth must be helped to become authentically Catholic and proud of their faith”, he stated.
In a message, the Secretary General of SECAM, Rev. Fr. Komakoma said the meeting was to engage the African youth to promote Justice, Peace, Good Governance and Reconciliation in the continent.
Most Rev. Nicola Djomo, President of the Episcopal Conference of DR Congo advised the African youth to guard against trappings of wealth to migrate to Europe and America for non-existing jobs.
Topics discussed at the meeting included Political, Economic and Socio-Cultural Context of Africa Today, Opportunities for the Youth in Society and in the Church - The Role of the Church in Africa today and Leadership – Role of the African Woman.
*Fr. Abbey-Quaye addressing the meeting (inset) Participants at the meeting.
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Abbey-Quaye, Assistant Secretary General of the National Catholic Secretariat, has noted with concern that African Youth were bearing the brunt and bitter fruits of Political confusion in the continent.
He said they had often been used by Politicians for propaganda and violence, “while their welfare has been relegated to the background”.
The Assistant Secretary General pointed out that in many African Countries the educational system had broken down and the youth were entering adult life very poorly equipped to face the future.
Fr. Abbey-Quaye was addressing a recent Pan-African Meeting of Youth and Children in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
The meeting was organized by the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), and attended by 120 delegates from African countries.
It was on the theme: Opportunities for Youth in Society and the Church – The Role of the Church in Africa Today.
He called on Political, Religious and Civil leaders in Africa “to get involved in the formation and education of the youth to move Africa forward in the right direction”.
Fr. Abbey-Quaye also urged the Church to help the youth of Africa to sharpen their scientific and technical expertise for the development of the continent.
The Church in Africa, Fr. Abbey-Quaye added, had recognized the many challenges including illiteracy, broken homes, single-parenting, idleness, isolation, marriage problems and anxiety that were facing the African Youth.
He told the Meeting that, many African youth drop out of school, join gangs to commit crimes and violence “while others end up committing suicide due to frustration and lack of hope in life”.
The Assistant Secretary General pointed out that poverty has had a negative impact on the youth “who embark on the adult life with very little enthusiasm and look to the future with a sense of hopelessness”.
He mentioned the dangerous adventure of many African youth trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea, dubbed the Mediterranean cemetery into Europe and Asia for greener pastures only to become economic refugees.
Fr. Abbey-Quaye noted that some of the African youth had not fully understood the Church’s teaching and faith resulting in their seeking answer from various religious sects, prayer camps and shrines, while others leave the Church completely.
He called on society to listen to the youth, appreciate, acknowledge and engage them rather than command them.
He entreated the church to set up Functional Youth Counselling Centres to equip them with the requisite skills for work.
He reminded the delegates that the youth form the majority in both the church and the African Society and must therefore be seen as assets to the continent.
Fr. Abbey-Quaye encouraged the Church to advocate and lobby African Governments to implement youth policies for their common good.
The church, he stated, had a mission to seek the integral development of all persons, adding that the role of the Church in helping the youth of Africa should include motivating them to see the economic opportunities that exist in the continent.
“Catholic youth must be helped to become authentically Catholic and proud of their faith”, he stated.
In a message, the Secretary General of SECAM, Rev. Fr. Komakoma said the meeting was to engage the African youth to promote Justice, Peace, Good Governance and Reconciliation in the continent.
Most Rev. Nicola Djomo, President of the Episcopal Conference of DR Congo advised the African youth to guard against trappings of wealth to migrate to Europe and America for non-existing jobs.
Topics discussed at the meeting included Political, Economic and Socio-Cultural Context of Africa Today, Opportunities for the Youth in Society and in the Church - The Role of the Church in Africa today and Leadership – Role of the African Woman.
*Fr. Abbey-Quaye addressing the meeting (inset) Participants at the meeting.