Kunle Adelabu
Ikorodu youths have been charged to be ready to be part of solutions to the myriad of challenges facing their immediate environment and the global village in general if they are to be relevant in the scheme of things.
This was the message of the speakers during the discourse in commemoration of this year’s International Youth Day which was themed, “Engaging Ikorodu Division Youths for Community Impact”.
The discourse was organized by the Ikorodu Division Youth Initiative Movement (IDYIM) on its WhatsApp platform on Thursday, August 13, 2020.
Mr Ibrahim Alani Onibudo, Ikorodu-born and Canada based Information Technology (IT) professional and agricultural entrepreneur who is the African Representative on an international committee for computer graphics and Interactive Techniques SIGGRAPH, was the guest lecturer.
Dr Abiodun Fatai Abatan, the Chairman, Board of Trustees, IDYIM, and a senior lecturer with the Department of Political Science, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, set the ball rolling in his keynote addreess by challenging the youths to be part of the solutions to societal challenges.
While commending youths on the auspicious occasion, Dr Abatan said that the theme of the discourse was timely considering the various challenges facing the world.
“This is timely considering the numerous overarching challenges the world is going through presently. From global instability to the economic recession, the world is currently undergoing a serious crisis across nations and international planes.
“Such predicament has been further escalated by the resurgence of the unexpected coronavirus (COVID-19) which brought about a new world order defined by the way we live our life, conduct businesses and interact with others.
“In all of these, the youths are the endangered species, having been the victims of marginalization, exclusion and voicelessness in the period before COVID-19″.
He charged youths to take the lead in curtailing and eventually eradication of the virus ravaging the global village with serious effects on social, economic and political lives.
“Given that the coping strategy to COVID-19 is as intense as the virulent nature of the virus itself, our youths must take the lead and the gauntlet to confront the virus across the local, national and international levels in the realisation of this year’s United Nation international youth day’s theme, ‘Engagement of Youths for Global Action’ ”, the scholar charged.
“Such responses mean that our youths in Ikorodu division must become actors and recipients of the national and multilateral institutional processes, to ensure they are parts of the solutions to the problem they are facing, not merely a problem to be resolved by others.
“They should take collective action to address issues of public concern, engaging in activities that seek to impact the quality of the community and civil values for young people”.
Dr Abatan stated that youths should not see themselves as vulnerable in the challenging situation but people that help in finding practical solutions through innovations.
He also charged them to take control of their community by initiating impacting and developmental programmes that would help their own development and that of the society.
“Our youths should be at the forefront of innovation and initiatives aimed at addressing collective problems, dilemmas and understand that they need not be treated as a vulnerable sector, as such a perception negates their strength, creativity and contributions to the community”, he said.
“As forward-looking youths, you must be agents of change, not instrument of destruction. You must take ownership of our community through peer-to-peer youth inclusion and engagement across a broad spectrum of youth groups and young people’s associations in Ikorodu division.
“I expect you to be engaging and impacting the community through political participation and mobilisation for politics, civic engagement and Youth platform to discuss issues of national and community importance, as well seminars and public workshop/lectures, youth empowerment and inclusion and peace building and campaign against violence among others.
“The outcome of these programmes will no doubt makes you relevant to your calling and also become agents of national development. Please, organize and be united for communal actions, don’t agonize”, Abatan advised.
The scholar further stated that he’s been posting scholarship opportunities on social media platforms related to Ikorodu but youths have not been taking advantage of them.
“If you have been following very well on social media, l have frequently dropped scholarship opportunities, but our youths don’t take them serious”, he said while urging them to consider responding positively and take advantage of the posts on social media.
“We need to explore educational opportunities, because that is where our intellectual and career development lies. There are many of them begging to be tapped, but no one is available. If you are interested, let me know”, Abatan added.
The guest speaker, Alani Onibudo, described the pandemic as a sorry state, adding that Nigeria wasn’t prepared for it.
“The global pandemic is a very sorry situation. Obviously, Nigeria was not really prepared for it. Nigeria has not prepared for anything”.
He said that the major challenge facing the Nigerian youths is that the country has failed to help them to develop their capacity.
“Nigeria has not prepared the youths for challenges they may face ahead in life. I’ve seen where countries have fully prepared their youths for such challenges and they need little or no supervision to survive on their own”.
He charged Nigerian youths to take their own destinies into their own hands and be ready to face the future.
“However, instead of pointing accusing fingers, the youths must take the bull by the horns. The youths will have to come up with plans to survive on their own”.
He suggested ways that youths in the country can make themselves face global challenges and remain relevant and urged them to engage in continuous education, while enjoining the government to assist them with bursary and scholarships to achieve their desire to be informed and educated.
Onibudo also stated that understanding of how things are done in other climes should be the focus of the youths if they are to be competitively engaging at the global level.
“Cultural Exchange Programs: The Nigerian youths needs to begin to learn how things are done elsewhere. A group of Nigerian youths can take a road trip to Ghana, Kenya or South Africa for weeks just to see how youths are doing things in those places”.
He also charged them to embrace the spirit of volunteerism which has been part of an international program that has been developing youths globally.
“With volunteer work home and abroad, a lot of work can be achieved in nation building”.
He said that collaboration between youths and those in government is key to their developments, adding that they must also continually find platforms to interact with others in sharing ideas and learning.
“Nigerian youths must move closer to people in government for developmental engagements.
“The Nigerian youths must find platforms on which they can showcase their talents and even gather more experiences. The youths must ensure they utilise their skills to full capacity”, the guest speaker said.
The guest lecturer also stated that aside from education, youths should also develop their sets of skill to make them productive in today’s global economic engagements.
“We must identify and classify the natural gifts and skills of our youths. Then, we will be able to plan based on these sets of skills”.
He added that development of skills acquisition by youths must be achieved through collaboration with government, NGOs, privileged groups and others.
“It has to be a huge collaboration among the government, NGOs, philanthropists, individuals and groups.
“For those in music, we can have a musical talent hunt every year. For those in printing or mechanics, we can create workshops for them to get trained or improve their current skills”, Onibudo suggested.
Speaking on youth involvement in politics, Onibudo said that the nature of politicking in Ikorodu and the country at large is not encouraging.
He charged youths to prove their mettle that they are capable of holding higher positions of authority with their engagements with youth groups and other community commitments.
“Most youths are discouraged to go into politics due to the current political structure. The politics of nomination common with our political parties instead of voting for candidates to emerge through popular vote is not encouraging at all. But then, there’s always a way out”, he said.
“The youths need to devise means of getting more participation in governance. The youths have to encourage themselves. Another clue is to start small and grow big in politics. I have seen youths that may be able to create more waves in the Councilor position and contest for much bigger positions afterwards”.
The guest lecturer said further that people will be more committed to supporting youths that excel with smaller responsibility and proved their worth for bigger political office or responsibilities.
“To me, it’s not strategic. People would be more supportive of you for a big political seat if you’ve done so well in a lower capacity. But if you’re sure of yourself, go for the big positions”, he charged.
