The 2018 Gombe Youth SDGs Summit was organized for the first time by the NYSC
SDGs Advocacy group in partnership with Gombe Youth for global goals, a foremost
youth organization in the state. The aim of the event was to gather young people in the
state together to dialogue and exchange ideas on how best they can be involved in
actualizing the SDGs. With the theme of the summit, “Towards 2030: the role of Young
People in achieving the SDGs in Gombe state”, the event provided critical insight into
the vital role of the youths as drivers of the implementation of the SDGs in the state. The
event also elevated the actions of individuals and organizations working to localize the
goals in the state.
360 participants including Corp members attended the event. Majority of attendees were
students from the major higher institutions of learning in Gombe and in neighboring
states. There were oral presentations by organizations working to localize the goals in
the state, a panel session by generations X and Y and a storytelling session by young
people working in the SDGs space in the state. The keynote speech was delivered by Mr
Abubakar Abdulkadir Akko, the Assistant Secretary General, Sustainable Development
Implementation Network, Accra, Ghana.
A unique feature of the event was the ‘I commit’ session. The aim of this session was to
obtain a form of commitment from the participants. A card was distributed and
participants were encouraged to select a goal of their choice they would love to advocate
for or support. A total of 184 cards were returned with majority selecting goals 3 and 4 as
their preferred choice of goals to support. Linking of participants to mentors and
organizations working in the goals selected will be carried out post-summit. The aim is
to build an ecosphere of SDGs advocates in the state and engage those who have shown
commitment.
Present at the event were notable dignitaries such as the Deputy Governor of Gombe
state, ably represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Mr. Josiah
Nabinta, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Labara Ahmed Kawu and the
Director of Youth Development, Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Mr Maxwell Wakaye.
Others included Alhaji Samaila Bima (Founder, Jewel Environment Initiative), Mr
Ahmed Magem (Founder, StartUp Gombe), Mrs Hadiyah Usman (ONE Champion and
co-founder, Gombe Youth for Global Goals), Mr Muhammed Sadeeq (Founder, Rural
Healthcare Mission Nigeria) and Mr Bashama Yusuf (Founder, Dandalin Matasa
Initiative for Rapid Development). Storytellers included Mr Suleiman Abubakar (Lead,
Local Guides Gombe), Joy Bismarck (Executive Director, JBR Initiative), Babata Anas
(Organizer, Django Girls Gombe). The speaker of the Gombe Youth Parliament,
the representative from the Young Leadership Association of Nigeria (YLAN) and student
leaders from the major institutions were represented.
The summit achieved the three objectives that were set. Firstly, there was an increase in
awareness among participants as well as other young people watching the event through
the internet about the goals. Although 2018 makes it the third year since the SDGs were
in existence, the majority of young people in Gombe had little understanding of the goals.
This is evident through a survey carried out earlier in the year by the NYSC SDGs
Advocacy group in Gombe metropolis. Secondly, individuals and organizations working
in the SDGs space in the state were given a platform to talk about the work they are
doing. This action increased the visibility of their work to a global stage. Thirdly, the event
created networking and mentoring opportunities.
