Experts in the education sector, on Tuesday, advocated the need for government and stakeholders to leverage counselling as a tool to reforming the mindset of young people towards promoting national stability and integration.
They made the call while speaking at the annual international conference of the Association of Professional Counsellors in Nigeria (APROCON) held in Gombe.
The theme of the conference is: “Counselling for National Stability and Integration.”
Prof. Ekundayo Ocholi, President of APROCON said with the current situation where some young persons were asking for the disintegration of the country, it had become imperative for youths to be counselled against such mindset.
Ocholi said Nigeria is becoming disintegrated, and there was need to urgently re-orientate children and youths to disabuse their orientation about disintegration.
“In the past, we don’t know who Yoruba, Igbo, or Hausaman is, and that was the intention of the unity schools; we all integrated, but now it is the opposite.
“Today, counsellors are out to let us know and to re-orientate people on the need to protect our unity and promote peaceful coexistence.
“Today, some persons are asking for cessation. We don’t want that for Nigeria,” she said.
Ocholi called on the government at all levels to employ and train more counsellors to help engage students and youths on the need to embrace national integration for the overall good of the country.
On her part, Dr Habiba Issa, the chairman, Gombe State chapter of APROCON, said there was need to engage more with the youths to counsel them on their responsibilities to the nation.
Issa said youths were the backbone of the country, hence the need to re-orientate them to take ownership of the country by embracing the unity and integration of the country.
While decrying the increasing involvement of youths in drug abuse, violence and crimes, she urged them to embrace good conduct and eschew violence and vices that could lead them into crime.
On his part, Prof. Umar Pate, the Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State said counsellors were partners in the preservation of national interest and security.
Pate who is one of the keynote presenters urged them to always inspire hope and the need for national integration when counselling young people at various levels.
He also urged them to mainstream issues of multiculturalism into counselling, adding that the diversity of Nigeria is a gift from God that must be appreciated and embraced.
“People need to understand that Nigeria is a complex and diverse environment.
“All of us can not be Muslims, all of us can not be Christians; it is heterogeneous and that is how God wants us to be.
“So we have to accept that reality of pluralism and multiculturalism and the differences that exist amongst us,” he said.
Pate urged youths to embrace the positive aspects of the country.
He also urged leaders to be good role models to youths by providing good governance and environment conducive for youths to thrive.
Our correspondent reports that APROCON has 863 registered members, amongst them are 62 professors, academics and many other members spread across human endeavours, rendering counselling services to individuals and the global society.
