Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Chairman, First Bank Plc, Mrs Ibukun Awosika, and Founder, Fate Foundation, Mr. Fola Adeola, yesterday urged the youths to be more enterprising so as to build a better Nigeria.
They also enjoined the youths to imbibe the spirit of creativity and integrity to succeed in an increasingly dynamic and globalised world and not sit idly or wait endlessly for the governments to provide all the jobs they need.
The trio spoke separately in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, during a Youth Convention with the theme: Ogun Youths: Exploring New Frontiers.
Over 570 youths from across the state are participating at the two – day event which ends today.
The programme was organized by the state government to awaken in the youths to creativity, enterprising spirit and values necessary to identify and harness business or job opportunities in their environment.
Amosun blamed the increasing joblessness of the youth on the nation’s economic model, which he reasoned had outlived its effectiveness.
He noted that Nigeria’s economic model placed the government as the main employer of labour but expressed regrets that the government is today faced with a situation where jobs demand far outstripped available space.
He said this informed why his administration had policies to support the youth in setting up their own companies and equip them to earn their own wages.
The Governor said the government had identified agriculture and agri-business, artisanal and technical vocations, commerce and industry, environment, sports and entertainment as areas where the youth could explore to create jobs for themselves.
He cited the Owowo Model Farm Estate for enterprising youth farmers and the Job Centre to assist artisans source jobs from clients as parts of programmes aimed at supporting Ogun youths to be productive and self – sustaining.
“To ensure that there are enough jobs for our youth today and for those that will enter the labour market in 30 years. There must be a deliberate policy to support our youth in setting up their own companies; we must equip them to earn their own wages. The good news is that our youths are ready to be their own bosses.
“So our focus at this Youth Convention is to show young people the many ways they could go. During and after this programme, we will work with the participants on acquiring the skills, tools and support necessary to become employers of labour- who knows, they may as a result of this Youth Convention be our future billionaires.
“To arrive at this envisaged future, we must assist our youth to translate commercial ideas into marketable businesses. If neither the public nor the private sector can employ them, we must help them to employ themselves.
“Unemployment has been growing at a rapid rate alongside our population. The World Bank report shows that unemployment has not decreased since 1999 and, that in particular, youth unemployment has been on the rise. Unemployment among the youth is put at 35.9%, which when compared with national overall unemployment of 21.1% is significantly high.
“So, our approach must have geographical breath, to cover rural and urban areas; sectoral breadth to accommodate people seeking work at the two extremes of educational attainment; and must take into consideration the structural obstacles faced by all and most especially our women,” Amosun said.
Also, Mrs Ibukun Awosika who was the keynote speaker, advised the youths not to afraid to venture into business.
Speaking on the topic: “Improving the mindset and ethical values of Ogun State youths towards positive development,” she urged them to broaden their mindset and not allow themselves to held captives by whatever may be course of study at the tertiary institutions.
Mrs Awosika said: “You have to create the kind of society you and your children want to live in. You have to be bold, diligent and focused. I started my furniture when I was around 25. You must have a starting point. No job is waiting for anybody anywhere. Be the solution to the challenges in your country.
“The university education you had is to open your mind to possibilities. The real value of your education is the way you process the information in the environment.”
Adeola charged the three tiers of government to invest more in youth development rather than building infrastructure.
Adeola also admonished the youths to empower and create jobs for themselves rather than wait for the government’s employment.
Speaking on “Succeeding in a Challenging Environment- The Experience of Accomplished Entrepreneur,” he said majority of Nigerian youths have lost hope in the government just as many of them also no longer believe that hard work pays.
“No matter how many bridges you (government) build or how many roads you construct if you don’t empower the youths all the efforts may go to waste.
“Hard work is the only thing that will guarantee you a secured future. Hard work is the only thing that will present you independent of religion, gender or ethnic challenges”.
“Building people is key, let us grow people and not buildings, let us build a society where we all value human lives, a society where we live by the rule of law and not by the rules of men,” he said.
