The youthful stage is the highest period of energy in the human life cycle to make gainful contributions to meaningful productivity of a country like Nigeria, which when directed and utilised effectively, determines the extent of success achieved during the remainder of the life cycle.
Youths are middle men between the young and old generations. They are agents of change, carriers of information and values which need to be
transferred from the passing generation to the new generation.
Against this background, and in commemoration of his 50th coronation ceremony, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has empowered 550 people in his domain with cash donations to a tune of N5.5 million.
Similarly, some water projects were also commissioned across Oyo metropolis.
Addressing the beneficiaries and large turn-out of elated residents who besieged the ancient Palace to felicitate with their Monarch, the Facilitator of both the water projects and empowerment, who is also a member of the House of Representatives representing Afijio, Atiba, Oyo-East and Oyo Federal Constituency, Prince Adeniyi
Adeyemi (Skimeh), said youth empowerment is not spoon feeding youths or dropping some money in their pockets, adding that the concept means making youths meaningfully beneficial to themselves and to the larger society.
‘’Empowerment relates to those who are powerless. The poor need power and a range of assets and capabilities to increase their well-being and security as well as their self-confidence, so that they can negotiate with those more powerful.
“Given the numerical strength and energy of the
young people, there is the need to conceive a policy to empower and
involve the youth in productive economic activities. Youth empowerment
involves exposure to and upgrading of relevant skills in order to
increase their competency and efficiency’’.
The Federal Legislator noted that the youthful stage is the highest
period of energy in the human life cycle to make gainful contribution
to meaningful productivity of a country like Nigeria, which when
directed and utilized effectively determines the extent of success
achieved during the remainder of the life cycle.
He enumerated some of his achievements, especially in the last one
year, which included the rehabilitation and construction of Koso road-Atiba Local Government, Alowolodu scheme road-Atiba Local Government, Gold n Rock/ Obananko road-Oyo West Local Government, Okediji road,
Ilora-Afijio Local Government, Olokomeji bridge, Alalubosa- Oyo West
Local Government, and Iyalamu road- Atiba Local Government under the N1.2 billion Federal Government Special Intervention Fund On Ecology,
capacity building training for youths, and the empowerment of youths
in tailoring and fashion designs.
Adeniyi, one of the sons of Alaafin, hinted that it
is in recognition of the significance of a huge size of the youth population, which is one third of the country’s population as a veritable tool in development he is making it a point of duty to adopt and make youths empowerment a cardinal agenda in his responsibility socially and economically.
This, he pointed out, is done with a view to shaping the youths for
meaningful life and productive contributions to nation building, and
underlies the need to integrate and tap these human resources for
economic growth and development.
In his response, Oba Adeyemi said ‘’if gratitude is the
great opener of the heart, then my heart should burst wide open to the sweetness of this moment. Thus, the first twenty five years on my throne had been turbulent, but today, I feel totally fulfilled and give gratitude to God for His grace. My thanks and appreciation also go to the people of Oyo across board.
“Be that as it may, continued peace among Oyo people irrespective of
partisan political differences is vital to any development, be it
social, political and economic. This is what political scientists
called socialisation. The entire Oyo people see the Palace as a symbol
of their oneness. In terms of infrastructural developments from both
the Federal, State and Local Government levels, there had been
tremendous achievements in Oyo Federal Constituency (Afijio, Atiba, Oyo-East and Oyo-West Local
Governments) respectively. I thank God and my people for what Oyo is today’’.
