The Ebira Nation and it development

 

EMPOWERING THE HUMAN CAPITALS OF EBIRA YOUTHS......A LATENT GIFT

By ISHAQ BILAL

 With the epileptic economy of the Federal republic of Nigeria and that of Kogi State, the need to harness every opportunity to get back on our feet is not unthinkable as it is what's on the lips of every citizen of both States. Thus, Opportunity they say comes with responsibility, and one of those that we have in Ebira land among Ebira youths, which should be taken as an advantage is The Bank of HUMAN CAPITALS we have in abundance

Human capital is the stock of habits, knowledge, social and personality attributes (including creativity) embodied in the ability to perform labour so as to produce economic value. It is unique and differs from any other capital. It is needed in countries, societies and even for companies to achieve goals, develop and remain innovative. Mahroum(2007) suggest that at the macro-level, human capital management is about three key capabilities; the capacity to develop talent, capacity to deploy talent and the capacity to draw talent from elsewhere. Human Capital empowerment is the development in the proliferation of the intrinsic unborn skills, knowledge traits and capabilities that is present in human which in this case, ''THE EBIRA YOUTHS''.

 These human capitals are present in both educated and non educated youths. They could be knowledges gotten from school or from the street through learning petty hand jobs or could also be human creative thinking and innovation.

Almost all non-educated Ebira youths today are involved in one basic skill or the other in all decorated aspect of the economy, political, social, cultural, basic artifacts like carpentry, bricklaying, shoe making, tailoring and the rest, But these knowledges like the hand job artifacts which could help develop the economy in various capacities are left latent and unhanessed thereby causing it worth to diminish overtime. Ebira land today is beautiful with magnificent structures of buildings with well designed louvers, casement windows, carefully pasted tiles, complemented with well placed zinc roofing sheets and well designed gates. We walk around today with well made and lasting shoes, with beautifully weaved clothes to portray the uniqueness of our culture. All these are made not by any other person but by the Ebira youths. Unfortunately this skills have not enough environment to prosper. China today is high and mighty because of the recognition of the human capability of their youth which have made them independent and also  benefiting the world at large with its products in the international market. The increase interest in which our Nigerian youths have in scaling the walls of Nigerian borders, which Ebira youths are not exempted is due to the fact that they know that their capitals can be developed there and would have an enabling environment to trend. Coming to our locality i.e our country Nigeria, states like Kano, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna are almost overpopulated with various tribes from different part of the country because there is a high tendency that their human capital will thrive well in these cities. As a result of the enabling capital development characteristics of these states, it's crystal clear, that they are developed than other states.

Even the government will as well benefit from this human capital development. Once the youths are given free hand and their skills are well established by the government, there will be decrease in the cost of production incurred by the government and there would be increase in the internal revenue generated within the state from the private sector (youths capital entrepreneurs). The benefit of developing human capital in Ebira land in enabling the youth is not a thing to toy about, it will make the youth to be useful to the economy. Thank God for the free economy that allows for both private and public enterprise to operate freely, hence if put to practice in Ebira land, the development will be two sided i.e from the private enterprise(Human capital youth entrepreneurs) and the government

The brilliant educated youths are left to rely on their parents before they can do anything in life. These are youths who had distinctions and other high grades back in school with enormous knowledge which they have acquired in school. But since there is no enabling environment,  the knowledge is left to no use and that is if it does not even wither.

The importance of human capital can even be utilized in the cultural sector. Our culture (Ebira culture) especially our Masquerades is an attractive and a possible way for societal development in the Tourism sector. This is an aspect of the EBIRA culture that the youths are very much involved and they make it attractive, entertaining and enticing. But instead of utilizing this human capital of the youths in making this aspect especially during The Echane, Ekwechi, Okehi, Ebe and the rest festivals a tourism attracted sector but on the contrary It is used as an avenue to cause troubles, violence and other social vices (Tenuche, 2009). It is surprising and interesting to see and hear of how much these youths generate from their outings with their masquerades but it seems like a child play and nothing else in the face of the government and our able high and mighty comrades. What a waste!!!.

One other aspect that should be paid attention to is the textile industry. Ebira female youth are known for their beautiful weaved clothes. These are clothing materials that are used by almost all the ethnic groups in the country and Africa at large with the difference in pattern and color in which they are made with. Only if there is an enabling market alongside a very good marketable value placed on the weaved clothing materials as this will contribute to the economy and consequently enrich our young female youths. A Cloth weaving industry will do much good in this sense.

For the talented hand job youths, a construction firm for example, a building construction firm or shoe making company should be established so as to accomodate the jobless and disabled youths in other to be productive. Privately owned enterprises can also help in this course.

Ebira land as an entity have all it takes in  becoming one of the leading part of the country if not in Africa, contributing to the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of Kogi state and Nigeria at large and also raising the standard of living of it citizens. This is achievable by developing and empowering the human capital of the youths. Avenues should be created, markets should be made open and accessible so that the youths will not only be empowered but also serve as an employer of labour. However, we could do more than less(building hotels and fuel pump stations) if both the government and private individuals put their hands on deck to achieve this greater height. In conclusion, if they (government and the wealthy) turn deaf ear to the enourmous importance of empowering the Ebira youths human capitals to enable them to be productive in the society and consequently develop good standard of living for themselves and also the Nation, THEN THESE HUMAN CAPITALS REMAIN LATENT.