Alaafin hosts youth corps members, urges govt to ‘place values on education, skill acquisition’

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has called
on both Federal and State Governments to place values on education and
skills acquisition as the only way out of present economic doldrums.
He said youths need to develop an acute appetite for learning and
knowledge without which civillisation crumbles.
Oba Adeyemi made the remarks at the weekend when Corps members from
Atiba Local Government in Oyo State presented him with an Award of
excellence in literary, culture and human development.
According to him,’’Nigerian youths need to hunger for relevant facts
and skills, thereby seeking solutions to the challenges facing us
through enhanced mental capacity. This is the foundation to any true
renaissance’’.
The youths, Oba Adeyemi stressed, are often called the potential
leaders of the nation hence their role in building a sustainable
economic development is essential by integrating them into the
national policies and decision making.
‘’ The youth needs an active involvement in participating with the
current political and economic leaders to foster inter-generational
dialogue hereby enhancing adequate transitional shift. They should
equally be actively involved in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
agenda. This is because they constitute the major resource base for
any country that want to embark on any meaningful development project.
Young people must be trained and as quickly as possible, to provide
leadership in Agriculture, Industry, Government and Economic
Development Projects. They must be developed intellectually, morally,
socially and with relevant skills to face a rapidly advancing
technological world’’.
Lamenting over what he referred to alarming rate of poverty and
unemployment, Alaafin explained that Nigeria has a youthful population
of close to 70 to 80 million, which is about 55 to 60 per cent of her
population.
According to him, ‘’of this youthful population, more than 80 per cent
are unemployed while about ten per cent are under-employed. The
estimated 10 per cent in employment are burdened and depressed with
near total dependence of relative and family members’’.
‘’Given the right combination of motivation, knowledge, ideas and
opportunities, Corps members are more than able to establish
productive and creative businesses. Engaging in entrepreneurship will
lift you from being “job seekers” to “job creators,” and also from
social dependence to self sufficiency. With self-employment, you can
also contribute to the upkeep of your families’’.
Entrepreneurship in Nigeria, the royal father asserted,’ is a major
avenue to increasing the rate of economic growth, create job
opportunities, reduce import of manufactured goods and decrease the
trade deficits that result from such imports. The influx and
encouragement of youths into ventures will definitely help salvage our
wasting economy’.
Alaafin described the National Youth Service Corps members as one of
the greatest assets in Nigeria, adding that  not only are they
legitimately regarded as the future leaders, they are, potentially and
actually the greatest investment for a country’s development.
Presenting the award, Corpers’ Liasion  Officer for Atiba Local
Government, Mr. Yusuff  Tunde Olumegbon, said what seems to be the
most phenomena about Alaafin,  is ‘’his unequalled regards, reception,
care, and compassion for everyone who comes his way at all times,
either seeking assistance, or mentorship.
According to him, ‘’He [Alaafin] is a lover of peace, promoter and
staunch advocate of traditional
and African cultural renaissance. A foremost Yoruba monarch with an un
quantified wealth of experience in true leadership. Alaafin symbolises
humanity, justice, equity and fairness’’.