WORLD YOUTH SKILLS DAY

The Catholic diocese of Minna has just concluded her 2nd Diocesan Synod, a synod that focused on the Pastoral Care of the youths. Among the issues that were raised at the synod was the possibility of  helping the youths to be economically, intellectually and of course, spiritually viable, especially through skill acquisitions and other youth empowerment initiatives. I was invited by His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Matin Uzuokwu, to present a paper at the synod on the 'practical' pastoral care of the youths - which I did! 

Incidentally, July 15th happens to be World Youth Skills Day. The aim of World Youth Skills Day is to encourage youths to be self-employed through skill acquisition. To be skillful is to be creative, to be artistic, and inventive. A skillful person is indeed a resourceful person. Most of the producers we have in our society today are those who have developed their skills.

World Youth Skill Day is meant to create awareness on the importance of acquiring skills such as carpentry, tailoring, building, plumbing, Computer training and other skill acquisition programme; as a possible way of achieving personal success and fulfillment. Skills and jobs for youth feature prominently in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal. For instance, the SDG target 4.4 calls for a substantial increase in the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills. Through skill acquisition individuals, communities, and countries can create a more prosperous future. Moreover, it is a more realistic solution to the perennial problem unemployment. 

The synod on the pastoral Care of the youth was invoked by his Lordship Most Rev. Dr. Matin Uzoukwu. He insisted that the discussions must focus on the 'practical' pastoral care of the youth. His lordship must have observed the current and existential challenges facing the youths. He is equally aware that the Church has a vital role to play as long as youth empowerment and youth development is concerned.

A popular slogan among the Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria (CYON) is "Build the youths - Build the nation." Indeed, the easiest and more realistic way to develop the nation is to develop the youths. The Church and even the nation cannot develop without the youths. That is why the Holy Father insisted that we must carry our youths along.

Incidentally, the theme of the synod of bishops that is coming up in October is "Young people, faith and vocational discernment." With this various synods organized by the Church both at the Diocesan level and global level, it is obvious that the Church has remembered the youths. The Church is now ready to dialogue with the youths and also to establish practical ways of rendering pastoral care to the young people. Other dioceses, deaneries and parishes across the nation should emulate the Holy Father and his Lordship, Bishop Matin Uzoukwu in finding a lasting solution to some of the current existential problem facing the youths.     

Ever before the UN declared July 15th as World Skills Day the Hebrew Bible presents God as the most creative Being the world has ever known. Within six days He created the world, out of nothing. When God saw all that He created He was fulfilled; “God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Gen 1:31) God gave man dominion over the works of His hands. He put all things under his feet (Psalm 8-6).With this ability given to man by God; he was able to construct, design, erect and even create all kinds of skillful works in the world.  

God has always encouraged the youths to be creative, skillful, self-reliant, fruitful and productive. From the very beginning of creation, God wanted the man to be creative and skillful. The Lord God said to Adam, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Adam was never employed and he never received any salary from any government or any organization but he survived through his natural skills.  

The Old Testament presents skill and craft as one of the precious gifts from the Most High God. In the book of Exodus 35:30-33 the Lord God entrusted Bazalel with special abilities so as to work in a creative manner on the construction of the tabernacle of God: “Moses said to the people of Israel, ‘See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, of the tribe of Judah; and He has filled him with the spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood in every skilled craft.” 

When God entrusted Bezalel with artistic abilities He expected him to pass on these abilities to others. The Lord “inspired him to teach Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer… by any sort of workman or skilled designer” (Ex 35:34-35). It was the Lord that gave Bezalel his skills. God ordered him to teach these skills to others. This is the beauty of continuity which is gradually dyeing off in our generation today.

Most our youths are no longer interested in skill work; they are only interested in quick money and white kola jobs. Unfortunately, those kind of job are not available. People pay through their nose before they could get the few available sloths. That is what unemployment is all about.  

Artistic and Skillful work, on the other hand, are very much available and affordable. They are the most lucrative and rewarding job anyone can comfortably do. The psalmist declares, “By the labour of your hands you shall eat. You shall be happy and prosperous” (Psalm 128:2). Child of God, as long as you are skillful and hardworking you will never die of hunger. Instead, you will be prosperous, you will be healthy and above all, you will be fulfilled! 

The Author of the book of proverbs went as far as saying that a skillful man shall stand before kings: “Do you see a man skilful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will stand before obscure men” (proverbs 22:29). Kings and other great men in the society shall come looking for you because of your creativity and skillful work.

In the New Testament our Lord Jesus Christ was presented as a Son of a carpenter. At the early stage of his life, “He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them… and Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:51-52). As Jesus was performing mighty works during his public ministry, people still identified him as the son of a carpenter: “Is not this the carpenter’s son?” (Matthew 13:55). Jesus was indeed the son of a skillful man!

Jesus himself admitted that he belonged to the working class: “My Father is working still, and I am working” (John 5:17). He encouraged his followers to be fruitful. In fact, he told his followers, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8). Your skillfulness and fruitfulness will surely bring glory to God! 

St. Paul did not just encouraged hard work he went as far as saying that there is no food for a lazy man: “For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.  For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.  Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). Child of God, Christianity is not stupidity; it is not for lazy people. Even as you pray you are also expected work hard in order to earn your living. 

With this reflection, we can now say with certainty that skills rule the world. We cannot do without the artists, the painters, musicians, stylists, designers. In fact, the world cannot do without skillful people - Whether it is the electrician that brings us power, the plumber that fix our water system, the Barber that shave our hair, the contractors that erect our buildings, the carpenter that construct our furnitures, the block molders that molds our blocks, the chef that prepares our meal, or the programmer that makes magic out of code - Skills make everything possible and makes people feel fulfilled!

Skill is both rewarding and fulfilling. Our Lord Jesus Christ said in Luke 10:7 that "A labourer deserves his wages! In his letter to Timothy St. Paul also wrote, “It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops” (2 Timothy 2:6). Child of God, as long as you are skillful, artistic and hard working, you will never lack; you shall live to enjoy the fruit of you labour and it shall be well with you, in Jesus name – Amen!