Youth Should Learn From Elders, Says Junior Chamber President

The 2026 president of Junior Chamber International Aso, Peter Emmanuel Yilbiem, has urged young people to seek guidance from elders in order to gain wisdom, preserve culture and drive progress in Nigeria

Yilbiem spoke in Abuja on Friday during the 14th edition of the Baba-Yara Novelty Games organised by JCI Aso.

He said the annual event was designed to strengthen relationships between younger and older members of the organisation through sports and social interaction.

According to him, meaningful development can only be achieved when the energy of the youth is combined with the experience and wisdom of the older generations.

He said, “For us, we believe progress can only be made by leveraging the strength of the youth and applying the wisdom of the elders, because they have experience.”

Yilbiem explained that gatherings such as the Baba-Yara Games create opportunities for young people to interact with elders, exchange ideas and learn valuable life lessons.

He stressed that the younger generations must find creative ways to engage older people instead of waiting until they make mistakes before learning.

“We do not have to go through the same process before we learn; we can benefit from their experiences,” he said.

The JCI Aso president also emphasised the need to protect cultural values, noting that culture remained a foundation that sustained previous generations.

He said while innovation and change were important, they should be used to strengthen traditions rather than erase them.

He added that mentorship remained one of the most effective ways of passing values and sustaining cultural heritage.

Also, the chairperson of the 14th Baba-Yara Novelty Games, Matilda Fapohunda, said the project had grown beyond JCI Aso to become one of the flagship programmes of JCI Nigeria.

She said participants now attend from different parts of the country, adding that plans were underway to expand the event beyond Nigeria.