By Sumaila Ogbaje
The European Union (EU) and Search for Common Ground (SFCG) have expressed confidence that a new youth-focused reality television show will promote entrepreneurship, discourage violent extremism and inspire young people across Nigeria.
The partners spoke at the opening of a training bootcamp for participants in the “Buge Buge Hustle” Reality TV Show, drawn from conflict-affected communities in Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states.
Mr Francesco Carboni, EU Team Leader, Foreign Policy Instruments Regional Team West Africa, said the participants had demonstrated courage and determination by competing for the opportunity.
He urged them to maximise the platform by showcasing their talents and proving that hard work and innovation could transform lives.
Carboni said the programme was designed to inspire young people to pursue opportunities rather than blame society for their challenges.
He expressed optimism that the show would attract audiences beyond Nigeria and project the country’s creativity, diversity and entrepreneurial potential to the world.
He added that “the participants are already peace ambassadors because they believe in a better future.
“When young people have dreams to pursue, they are less likely to embrace violence.
“The EU supports the initiative because investing in young people remains one of the most effective ways to build a peaceful and prosperous future.”
The Country Director of SFCG, Mr About Ouattara, said the organisation conceived the project to demonstrate that young people could become drivers of peace and development when given the right opportunities.
Ouattara said participants would receive training in entrepreneurship, digital innovation and business management to strengthen their capacity to build sustainable livelihoods.
He explained that the North-West was selected because insecurity had exposed many young people to recruitment by armed groups.
According to him, the initiative offers vulnerable youths practical alternatives to violence while equipping them to become peace advocates in their communities.
The representative of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Mr Muhammad Aminu, said the programme aligned with the centre’s mandate of preventing violent extremism through youth empowerment.
Aminu said empowering young people with entrepreneurial and peacebuilding skills reduced their vulnerability to recruitment by terrorist and criminal groups.
He stressed that the reality show was more than entertainment, describing it as a platform for building resilience, self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods.
The participants expressed confidence that the initiative would inspire young people to embrace creativity as a pathway to peace and economic empowerment.
They said showcasing the talents of young entrepreneurs from conflict-affected communities would encourage others to pursue productive ventures instead of violence.
The boot camp is part of the EU-supported “Buge Buge Hustle” project being implemented by Search for Common Ground to strengthen peacebuilding and entrepreneurship among youths in north-west Nigeria. (NAN)
