The first Vice-President, Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, Senator Binta Garba, has called on Nigerians, especially youths, to be focused and not be depressed because they hold the key to the future of the country.

According to her, people see her “painted face” and wish to be like her, not knowing what she did in the past .

The lawmaker said she did everything (except prostitution), including hawking bread, selling moi moi and Kunu Zaki to survive.

She spoke in Abuja during the 2nd National Youth Economic Summit organised by the Christian Association of Nigeria (Youth Wing) in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Garba, representing Adamawa North Senatorial District in the National Assembly and three times former member of the House of Representatives (1999 – 2011), said, “When you sit down here and see Binta with a painted face, you will want to be like her. But if I tell you my story, you will run away.

“I hawked bread and sold moi moi, I started working, did everything to survive, except that I didn’t sell my body. But God was so fateful, at that tender age, I never knew. But He only looked for the inner mind. This nation is blessed; over 60 per cent of the population are youths.

“I started hawking bread with N2 and became a distributor of bread at the age of 11. When you go to secondary school now and you ask a child, ‘do you want to hawk bread?’ The child will say ‘no’. Nobody wants to hawk bread because they believe it is a dirty job.”

Garba warned the youth against causing division in Nigeria, saying they should abide by the biblical principle of praying for the nation’s leaders, instead of abusing President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said Nigeria had been experiencing security challenges because of lack of values.

The SGF, who noted that ethnicity, had destroyed the bond among Nigerians, expressed sadness over the security situation in the country, calling on youths to lead the vanguard in restoring peace, security and stability by helping government to provide intelligence.

Mustapha advised the youth to report any signal that could cause threats to the public, adding that for the country to develop, everyone especially the youth should shun greed, malice, deceit, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.