The Sierra Leonean Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Bangura has called for a mindset change amongst the youth of Africa.
The young minister believes the existing mindset of the African youth is their biggest limitation to success.
“Having served for 3 years as Minister of Youth Affairs, I will tell you there are not many challenges I have seen exist amongst the youth, except one. That is the need for a mindset change amongst the youth. It is time for the African youth to think productively and believe that no one owes them anything. Your mum doesn’t owe you a thing, your politicians don’t owe you a thing. It is all about your self-esteem and where you want to be and take yourself,” he stated at the sidelines of the YouthConnekt Africa Summit 2021.
Sharing a part of his life on Y107.9FM’s Myd Morning Show with Jonny Stone, the 36 year old minister who was raised single handedly by his mother revealed, “When I came of age, my mum sent me to learn tailoring in a different region but I didn’t let that stop me from being who I wanted to be.”
The self-made minister who wanted to be an accountant worked towards this dream and put himself through school. After school, he got his first job at Standard chartered Bank. “So when you believe in something, you work towards it.”
Charging the youth to believe in themselves and persevere, he advised them against thinking resource limitations on the continent as a hindrance to their success and future. “It is about the mindset change and how people can think productively and knowing that just like an ecosystem everyone has a role to play.”
He believes the African continent can be the apex of all continents if its youth change their mindsets and take charge of their future.
The YouthConnekt Africa Summit is an annual convening that connects youth from across the continent and beyond with policy influencers, political leaders, and public, private and development sector institutions to engage, discuss, design, and accelerate youth empowerment efforts at a continental level.
In addition, every year the summit intends to create a platform for a larger number of young people from all over the continent to learn and engage in YouthConnekt Africa’s youth development program.
