LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT REFUNDS 145 FORMER SUBSCRIBERS OF EGAN HOUSING ESTATE
admin By Oyebola Owolabi
Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat has assured youths that there is hope for them despite the challenges facing the country at the present.
He urged them to take advantage of opportunities available to them to become self-reliant.
The deputy governor spoke at a National Youth Symposium themed ‘Nigeria: Guiding the Youth on the path to Self-Reliance’, as part of activities to celebrate his 60th birthday.
Hamzat said the youths should see beyond present national challenges and instead take advantage of the country’s numerous opportunities. He noted that youths have continued to excel in science, medicine, and music, among others on the world stage.
He said: “We must engage and encourage our youths. These are pivotal moments in Nigeria. Many have lost hope in reversing negative trends. It’s not right that our youths have no future. I am upbeat and optimistic about this country because of our youths.
“Our music keeps the world dancing. Creativity in technology by our youths has soared very high. Your stars keep shining in the world of football. Nigerians are heading everywhere in the world. We must not allow negativity to define us, we must define ourselves. I salute the courage, resilience and tenacity of our young people.”
Hamzat, though admitted that the country is facing socio-economic challenges and insecurity, however restated that despite the issues, foreigners were coming into the country to invest and make money.
“Our problems are surmountable and there are opportunities there. What is it that foreigners are seeing that we are not seeing? We must shine our eyes. We must look back at our history. Our youths are very dynamic” Hamzat said.
Former Vice Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU) Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun (SAN), who spoke on ‘Why are we here’, noted that despite the challenges in the country, there were many untapped resources for youths to be self-reliant.
“You are not looking at any individual, you are looking at your own resourcefulness and resilience to take you through. The youths must learn not to depend on the system around them, but on their own resourcefulness and resilience,” he said.
Fagbohun also urged the youth to emulate the deputy governor by being exemplary in their dealings.
“The deputy governor is an exemplary leader embodied by education. Government should remove obstacles that prevent youths from accessing resources of the land, it should not be only for the children of the rich. Nigerian youths should have access to these resources,” he added.
Fagbohun further urged the youths to make use of the knowledge garnered at the symposium to better their lives and the country.
“In a country as diverse as Nigeria and regions, Nigerian youths here should recognise that they represent other youths. The knowledge you gain here, share it on various platforms, resonate it. Knowledge shared will improve you and deepen your knowledge,” he said.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya noted that land availability for agricultural purposes had been a challenge in the state, but there were measures to ease access to land.
According to her, the state is developing organised markets to ensure that even farmers from other states tap into the opportunities.
She added: “We have done capacity building and provided entrepreneurial support for the youth in the agricultural sector. If you want success in the agricultural space, you must have youths that are capable and have the skills to scale up the food production. We need to push for those who have agricultural qualifications.
“We have continued to train the youth, especially those who have no agricultural skills, supported and empowered them.
“Going forward, a lot will change as we try to make lands available for youths to do agriculture. We are giving the youths opportunity to push their products in the market space without the middle men.”
The Lagos State Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende said youths must believe in themselves and be ready to accept opposition as a force for success.
Ogunlende added that the ministry had continued to engage critical stakeholders to ensure youths in Lagos have a voice and the opportunity to execute their ideas.
An IT expert, Dr Stanley Muoneke, called on youths to learn various IT skills to explore opportunities to make them succeed. He said knowledge was important, ‘but there is a need for youths to have mentors and coaches to make them face the challenges that the sector might present to them’.
Muoneke challenged the youths to do self assessment of themselves to be able to determine their areas of strength.
The Executive Secretary, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Dr Rabiu Olowo, reiterated that knowledge was key to success. He also urged the youths to stop complaining about the economy, but instead seize the opportunities existing within the same economy.
An entrepreneur, Dr Funmilola Tella, called on youths to invest in themselves and their money in profitable ventures, while a youth entrepreneur and shoemaker, Ms Zainab Alayande, said knowledge of any field of interest was important to succeed.
