Kunle Adelabu & Mariam Akinloye
Another alumnus of the capacity building of Rep. Babajimi Adegoke Benson, member, representing the Ikorodu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Comrade Abubakr Asoro, the Coordinator, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), has revealed the gains and lessons learnt from the seminar being facilitated by the lawmaker.
About 20 young leaders, community builders and professionals in Ikorodu, have been opportuned to traveled to the Peoples’ Republic of China on two weeks seminar on different programmes and at different times since November 2023.
Comrade Asoro, who recently completed his tenure and re – elected as the NYCN Coordinator and also vying for the State Vice Chairmanship of the youth group, is among the participants that attended the seminar on Capacity Building And Experience Exchange in Governance Between China and African Union, between May and June, 2024.
He spoke on the gains and the impacts of the seminar at a session on THE IMPACT platform where selected participants have been engaged on the trip.
“As a Youth and Community development expert, it (the seminar) broadened my horizon on good governance, exposed me to the role of young people in nation building, experience gathering, mentorship and leadership responsibilities’’, Asoro said.
“Basically, during those two weeks, the Chinese government exchanged their experience in governance with us, while we also had the opportunities to discuss our countries, opportunities that are available for investment and so on.
“I must commend Rep Babajimi Benson, MHR. He has been doing many ‘Koseleris’ (many things that have never happened before) and has not left young people out of these opportunities, and this satisfies the clamour of the young people for inclusion.
“This program, for example, provides an exposure opportunity for young persons; broadens their knowledge base; provides international connectivity and also facilitates opportunities back home.
“During this trip, I met personalities that I may have never met; sat side- by -side with diplomats and discussed with top government officials.
“My journey to most of the cities, exposed us to the fact that more needs to be done back home”, Comrade Asoro said.
Speaking further on the lessons and gains from the trip, the youth leader said that the trip opened up many opportunities for youths back home in Ikorodu division.
“That was the Cruz of all the background, my eyes have been opened to employment opportunities in our communities, we will be engaging the government on possible employment opportunities in our hidden treasures, while government also generated revenues.
“It’s going to be a win –win.
“The program has provided me with a network that I will have naturally not gotten without the trip. I established relationships with team from ECOWAS and AU, including some of my colleagues in other participating African countries.
“My discussion with the ECOWAS team yielded an immediate result when I shared career opportunities available at ECOWAS. The AU team has promised the same.
“I had the opportunity to meet with the Global Assistant President of CCECC and the MD CCECC Nig Ltd. We discussed issues of knowledge transfer to Nigerians who work with them, professional employment opportunities, scholarship programs for young Africans and so on”, he said.
Speaking on tourism development in China which he thinks government back in Nigeria must learn and benefit from, Asoro said:
While comparing the tourism centres in China with those in Ikorodu, the youth leader called for more government attention for proper tourism developments on waterways and markets.
“I could remember vividly how our Coordinators were joyous about their plan to take us to the West Lake. I looked forward to something big and spectacular, behold, I arrived to see a body of water not really different from the Ebute Waters”, he said.
“The differences are the man-made beautification and this was packaged as a tourist attraction site welcoming hundreds of people every day for boat ride, music performance and sale of local snacks.
“For a Majidun boy like me, I was disappointed, because I soon realized that we have left some tourist attraction potentials untouched in Nigeria, which could create employment opportunities.
Another one was my visit to the MY QIANMEN STREET IN BEIJING.
“The historic Qianmen Street in Beijing has history of more than 570 years. It was called Zhengyangmen Street during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and finally got the present name in 1965. During the Qing Dynasty, there were many specialized outlets on either side of it, such as a meat market, cloth market and jewelry market. It’s evidence of how China’s history and culture have endured over time.
“The QianMen Street is like the famous Ejina Market and the Ebute periodical markets. The government modernised the area, preserved the history and some landmark places and then turned it into a tourist attraction area.
”The market was preserved and modernized. The tourism part added to its attraction which attracted more visitors and helps traders to earn more money.
“I think Ikorodu West LCDA had nearly fallen short some years back by building those modern shops (at the Ebute market). The prices were way too much for the regular traders to purchase and the goods may likely be costly too.
“One striking thing about China is that they will always tell you, “with Chinese characteristics”.
“That’s what’s suitable for their people and environment”, he said.
