Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru
Mrs Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, former Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Board ( FIRS) urged youths to build their future to enable them have hope for themselves and affect their immediate environment.
Omoigui-Okauru gave the advice on Saturday at her 60th birthday celebration in Abuja.
“There is a future, but you have to be the builders of that future now,” she said.
She urged the youths to go into this future with a sacrifice and a sense of purpose not with consumption mentality.
“Put somthing tangible into yourself, so that you can have something to give. In that respect, I believe we will be getting to a point where this nation will be having to look for youths as leaders who have something to offer.”
Omoigui-Okauru, who was also the former Chairman of the Joint Tax Board, also advised youths to be focused in their pursuits and be intelligent about it.
She said that youths should make sure that they attained milestones at every stage involved in their development process.
“To move our country forward leadership is critical and shouldn’t be a one man’s leadership; its should be a team work.
”Nigeria has to be focused on eradicating poverty, revamping the health and education section.
“Our electoral system needs to be changed.
“Youths should have access to opportunities, they should be motivated to think Nigeria.
“People should take responsibilities and not trade blames, youths need to take charge.
“Alot of what I did; did not start today at 60, I started in my teens.
“Our youths should have a purpose in life, build their confidence and competence.
“The issues of brain drain, alcoholism and drug abuse should be avoided.
“The youths should focus on the leadership of moving the country forward,” she said.
She advised Nigerians to be hopeful, and begin to think of ways to change the electoral system.
”Let’s ask questions such as what we need to do to build a transformative leadership.
”We need to ask what we need to do to change our political system, when we recognise its not a one man’s show to change this country, it would be better for us.
“Let’s stop fighting ourselves, its killing this country, let’s begin to think Nigeria and look for ways to take Nigeria forward,” she said.
Earlier in a commemorative lecture, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, the former Access Bank Chairman, presented a paper titled “Thinking aloud – imagining a Nigeria that works for the collective”.
He advised Nigerians to think towards revamping Nigeria to what it could be and what it should be.
He described the celebrant as an excellent achiever and a nation builder, urging others to emulate her steps.
The event attracted notably Nigerians who poured encomiums on her.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Omoigui-Okauru, during her tenure introduced the use of technology in core tax administration functions, including taxpayer registration, tax filling and payment.
She is currently the Managing Partner of Compliance Professionals Plx, a firm that supports individuals and organisation to ensure compliance with their statutory obligations in Nigeria.
The company designs an effective business environment in which small, medium and large business can thrive.
She is also the chairman of the NigeriaTax Research Network among others.
She holds two honours – Member of the Order of Niger and Member of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. (NAN)
