The Divisional Officer (DO) for Bamenda III Subdivision, Sáka Austin Ayuni, has advised youth in the area to shift their focus away from employment and civil service ambitions and instead embrace entrepreneurship, farming, and self-reliance as more viable means of economic empowerment.
The advice came during a youth political mobilisation meeting organised by the CPDM Mezam 1 C Section on Saturday 1 August 2025 in Bamenda. The event was part of ongoing efforts to prepare young people in Nkwen for the upcoming presidential elections in October and to address the developmental gap in the subdivision.
“Civil service jobs are not enough for all. The future belongs to those who create opportunities in farming, in livestock, in business,” the DO said, while challenging the youth to rethink their expectations from the state.
While the gathering was political in nature, Sáka Austin used the occasion to focus on economic realities and the need for young people to become producers rather than dependents.
He explained that development will not come only through voting but through productive action, innovation, and economic participation.
The backdrop to this discussion is the increasing frustration in Nkwen over slow development, which many attribute to political disunity and lack of youth engagement. With the CPDM aiming to strengthen its base in the region, youth leaders are seen as key influencers in shaping the community’s future direction.
The Divisional Officer’s message struck a chord with the youth, many of whom expressed renewed interest in exploring entrepreneurship, especially in agriculture, a sector often underexplored by urban youth.
By Ndimbe Usman for Hilltopvoices Newsroom
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