Mariam Akinloye
The Lagos Council of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has conferred the Ambassador of Youth Development Award on the Chairman, Senate Committee on Industries and the Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial, Distinguished Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, FCA, in honour of his outstanding contributions to the development of Youth in the Lagos East Senatorial District.
In a statement released on Wednesday by the Senator’s Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Enitan Olukotun who also represented the federal lawmaker at the ceremony held at the weekend at the Lagos State University of Education, Noforija , Epe, Abiru was honoured due to his capacity development initiatives for his capacity development schemes for youths.
State NYCN Chairman, Comrade Olalekan Sulaiman Oba , said that the Youth Council deemed Senator Abiru fit for the award because of his passion for capacity development for youth, not only in Lagos East Senatorial District, but Lagos State at large.
“All Youth Leaders in Lagos State have unanimously agreed to decorate and present you an outstanding and distinguished award as an AMBASSADOR OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT in Lagos State”, he said.
“We have heard and seen your distinguished exemplary leadership, selfless and unrelenting support and services in uplifting the youth constituency to an enviable status which has brought long-term development and prosperity to both young and old within the state and the nation at large” .
Speaking at the ceremony, the representative of the Senator, Olukotun said that Abiru, who is passionate about genuine development that will bring about prosperity in the new world that we live in today, is focused on Human Capital Development for youths and entrepreneurs.
“He has set – up The Senator Abiru Innovation Lab (SAIL) in Ikorodu, to equip young people for the enormous global opportunities in the fourth industrial revolution age”, he said.
“The SAIL Innovation is part of the Senator’s endowment, funded largely by him and the goodwill he had gathered during his corporate life, to drive youth empowerment, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.
“The Lab was created in partnership with Co – Creative Hub (CcHub), Africa’s first innovation Centre that is dedicated to accelerating economic prosperity and this is run under The Tokunbo Abiru Constituency Team (TACT) Foundation.
“SAIL is a unique community innovation space for young people in Lagos East, with primary purpose of creating employment opportunities, inspiring grass-roots innovation & creativity, build partnerships and networks that drive economic prosperity, and solve significant social and business problems.
“The Innovation Lab provides a comfortable and safe environment for exploring innovation Ideas, and offers basic foundation and cross functional programmes and opportunities that inspire the people (students, graduates, entrepreneurs, and job seekers in Lagos East) to gather, learn and create.
“In addition, Senator Abiru also awarded bursaries to over 600 higher institution students in Lagos East Senatorial District”, he added.
The Senator’s representative also informed the gathering about the Senator’s strides in: education, health, Sports, infrastructure (roads), empowerment, monthly support for vulnerable constituents, and his various socio-economic intervention programmes.
