The Arole Oduduwa cum Ooni of ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, on Friday awarded one hundred Nigerian youth leaders who are doing well in their various endeavours including Seyi Awolowo and Bello Shagari who are grandsons of former Premier of the old Western region Chief Obafemi Awolowo and former Nigerian president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari respectively.
While addressing the cheering crowd gathered at the Oduduwa hall of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife to witness the event called Royal African Young Leadership Forum, an initiative created by the Yoruba overall king to celebrate exceptional Nigerian youths selected from across the country, the Ooni explained that the young population remains the major catalyst in boosting the economic growth of the country and indeed the continent of Africa.
“Africa has one of the world’s young populations with stimulating depth of human capacity and arrays of entrepreneurial relentless spirit, new dreams, unquenchable energies and ambitions.
“The united voices of millions of young populations in Nigeria and across Africa will certainly contribute solutions through their own ingenuities that would help in painting a picture of what they want for themselves, the future generations and the continent.
“I am proud of the successes been recorded by our youths despite of the challenges, I hereby identify with them and I pledge to assist them to record more wins with the throne of Oduduwa.” The Ooni noted.
In his address, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare boasted that Nigeria has a brighter future especially with the immeasurable qualities possessed by the Nigerian youths.
“This programme by the Ooni validates the fact that the traditional institution and other structures in the larger Nigerian system have a great role to play in creating the country of our dream. If you carefully look at the class of youths being honoured here today, you will agree with me that our youths are worthy leaders.
“On our part as government, we shall continue to refocus the youth agenda as we remain committed to the provision of modern digital skills for the prosperity of our dear country through the able youths.
“We have concluded plans that will ensure that in the next two years, 1.5. million Nigerian youths would have acquired modern digital skills needed to compete with their counterparts globally in this century.” Mr. Dare explained.
In his opinion, the United Arab Emirates’ Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Fahad AlTaffaq, revealed that his embassy has partnered the Nigerian government in the past years on youth development and capacity building, adding that more would be done in the nearest future.
Dr. Fahad who made an on-the-spot donation of N5Million to support the project explained that Nigeria is blessed with exceptional youth leaders who are currently taking the lead in Africa and beyond.
Speaking on behalf of other awardees, the grandson of the late President Shehu Shagari , Mr. Bello Shagari, described the award as a motivation for him to step up in his activities and also assist the younger generation.
Shagari who alongside his colleagues passed a vote of confidence on the Ooni christening the frontline traditional ruler as the youths’ king, pledged their utmost support and loyalty to him.
The grandson of the former Premier of the old Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Oluwaseyi Awolowo, Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, RT. Honourable Debo Ogundoyin, Hon. Tunde Olatunji (Chief Whip, Osun Assembly) and the youngest Assistant General Manager, Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority, Mr. Zakariya Gambo were among other selected youth leaders.
Popular Nollywood actors, Lateef Adedimeji, Olumide Oworu, Woli Arole, Kehinde Peter, Yinka Salau and other youth leaders in the entertainment industry and beyond were so considered.
Prominent stakeholders across the country including traditional rulers, chiefs, politicians, captains of industries and academicians including the Vice-Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, fully attended the event which was held at the Oduduwa Hall of the institution.
