The Nigerian Red Cross Society, Lagos Branch, has launched its annual Youths and Leadership Camp, celebrating 60 years of mentoring and empowering young Nigerians.
The 2025 edition, which kicked off on Tuesday in Lagos, is focused on addressing the growing challenges of drug abuse, cybercrime, and youth disengagement.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Lagos Branch, Adebola Kolawole, emphasized the importance of value-based leadership for the younger generation.
“We are happy to be celebrating six decades of training and empowering youths — teaching them values that many have lost,” Kolawole said. “This program is not just camping; it involves mentoring and equipping young people to be useful to themselves and the nation.”
According to Kolawole, the week-long programme features structured leadership training, ending with certification and long-term mentorship for participants. The camp aims to shape youths into responsible citizens while actively steering them away from drug use and cybercrime.
Branch Secretary of the Lagos Red Cross, Olakunle Lasisi, also spoke on the camp’s broader goals.
“We have a unit that deals with substance abuse and has been doing this for decades,” he said. “We engage facilitators to educate youth on the dangers of drug abuse, corruption, and cybercrime.”
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Lasisi added that the Red Cross attracts young participants through social activities, eventually integrating them into mentorship programs to guide them away from harmful influences.
This year’s camp is hosting 450 participants and is supervised by about 50 Red Cross officers. One of the event highlights was the decoration of Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), as the Red Cross Humanitarian Ambassador.
In his acceptance speech, Oke-Osanyintolu praised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for bolstering Lagos’ disaster preparedness and emergency response systems.
“This recognition is for the governor. He has significantly enhanced our emergency capabilities,” he said, also announcing that Lagos would soon launch Nigeria’s first Institute of Disaster Management.
The state is also set to host all 36 state emergency agencies and NEMA in October to commemorate the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The Red Cross initiative continues to serve as a beacon of hope in combating youth-related social issues across Nigeria.
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