UN International Youth Day, Osun Youths dream high, government promises employment opportunities -By Olaniyi Abdulwaheed

The Osun Youth Summit that The Nigerian Youth Parliament organized aimed at building young people in becoming stars in future. They held the programme to show that the future of every generation lies on the shoulders of young people that the more they are well equipped the better they are to determine the positive change in the future of the country and to tell the world that youths are part of the ingredients to make the dream of every society becomes a reality.

The event showed that youth are relevant in the society and they cannot be neglected at all time. It focused on the view that young people often abhor novel idea which requires nourishment through adequate training for a positive change, entrepreneurship skills as well as supports from the older generation.

In setting their goals, The Nigerian Youth Parliament organized Osun Youth Summit to commemorate the United Nations International Youth Day 2016. The event that held at Osogbo the capital of Osun also marked the 25th anniversary of the Osun state and President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) productivity Enhancement Series.

Speaking during a press conference in Osogbo prior to the programme, Hon. Adewole Maruf representing Osun West Senatorial District said that the event aimed at providing a unique opportunity for young leaders who share similar burden, passion and drive to learn, celebrate one another, share experience and perspectives and build new relationships which are critical and beneficial to maximizing their efforts.

Commemorating with the United Nations International Youth Day 2016, they channeled the programme with the theme of ‘The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable and Consumption.’ The theme focused on the role that young people have to play in ensuring poverty eradication and also leading sustainability.

The programme also served as an interactive learning and networking experience strictly for youths and individuals with social enterprises, Non-Governmental Organisations and initiatives actively involved in empowering, developing and supporting the Nigerian youth.

Hon. Maruf told our correspondent that notable people: like Mr Femi Adefila the Chief Executive Officer of Rave FM; Mr Banks Omishore, the Special Adviser to the Senate President on New Media National Assembly Abuja; Sustainable Development Advocate, Dr. Folawiyo Olajoku as well as other eminent persons were invited to speak on ‘Business/ Entrepreneurship, Civil Leadership, Public Management and Sustainable Development Goals’ as it relates to the theme.   

Subsequently, the Governor of Osun State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola spoke on the commitment of his administration in youth empowerment in the state while he was commissioning job centre in Osogbo. He said that the creation of job centre in the Osun was to complement their efforts in reaching different cadres of youths in order to make all the people in the state to be productively engaged.

‘This initiative will make all the youths of this state who are willing and ready to engage themselves profitably in either agriculture, commercial activities, businesses as well as intellectual work to meet their aspirations. That is why we have this job centre which is not going to be limited to Osogbo the state capital but it will be located across the state to maximize the opportunity we want to make open to unemployed youths, he said.

The governor also said further that the initiative was open to residents in the state irrespective of political affiliation, gender, religious or ethnic identity.