The youth wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) has elected Daniel Arowolo as its new national chairman.

Mr Arowolo’s election came with a mandate to foster economic empowerment and strengthen security collaboration across the country.

The election, held in Abuja on Saturday, with delegates from the five blocs of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) participating.

Mr Arowolo represented the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC).

In his acceptance speech, the chairman-elect described his emergence as a call to service, emphasising his commitment to improving the capacity and economic well-being of Christian youths.

”I have emerged as a leader today, therefore, I have become a servant of all Christian youths of this country. 

“I am here to deliver what God has bestowed on me to improve efficiency and capacity,” he said.

Addressing the nation’s security challenges, particularly kidnapping and terrorism, Mr Arowolo revealed plans to establish an internal security framework to support existing national agencies.

”We are trying to build a youth security agency to collaborate with federal security, because the federal security can not cover everywhere. 

“Internally, we can improve on the security situation of this country to make it better for us,” he said.

He also commended President Bola Tinubu for his efforts, and sought divine strength for the president’s cabinet.

He further appreciated the leadership of CAN, led by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh.

Earlier, the outgoing national chairman, Belusochukwu Enwere, highlighted the achievements of his administration, noting that he was leaving behind a more financially stable and equipped association.

Mr Enwere said that despite starting with “zero Naira, his tenure was handing over millions of naira and several assets to the new executive.

”We were able to navigate both the clean and dirty waters, and by the special grace of God, it was a success. 

“We are leaving behind a positive outcome, including national uniforms and millions of naira for the new executives to start with,” Mr Enwere said.

He attributed much of the success to the support of the “First Family’”.

He specifically thanked the first lady, Oluremi Tinubu, for the donation of CNG-powered buses to the zones, and Seyi Tinubu for his mentorship.

Mr Enwere urged the incoming leadership to prioritise interfaith dialogue and peace-building, especially during election periods.

”Nigeria needs interfaith dialogue. We need oneness. I encourage the incoming administration to always be peace ambassadors and bring dialogue to the table, even when there are problems,” he said.

In a separate interview with journalists, Daniel Kazay, a former YOWICAN national president, called for patriotism.

He urged the new executives to prioritise national unity in every leadership decision. 

Mr Kazay expressed total satisfaction with the conduct of the polls, describ the smooth transition as a significant milestone for Christian youth leadership.

The former president said that the peaceful nature of the handover reflected the growing maturity of the organisation.

He urged the leaders to look beyond religious boundaries and focus on collective progress.

“It is time for all differences to close up as we work toward nation-building,” Mr Kazay said.

He also charged Christian youths across the country to remain steadfast in their support for the current government.

He said that continuous prayer and cooperation were vital for the country’s success.

The former YOWICAN president concluded by endorsing the new leaders, noting that a rigorous screening process was conducted. 

He expressed confidence that the association’s future was now in capable hands.

The election concluded with the appointment of several other key officials.

These include Rev. Onajite Enunuaye as vice chairman, Rev. Nehemiah Micheal as secretary, and Joshua Dandaura as assistant secretary.

The election marks the beginning of a new five-year tenure for the YOWICAN executive committee, which is expected to represent the interests of Christian youths within the larger framework of CAN.

(NAN)