The National President of the Ijebu Youth Association and Special Assistant to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Youth Affairs, Pastor Okikiola Fayomi, has urged youths in Ijebuland to shun political thuggery and embrace entrepreneurship, self-reliance and responsible participation in the democratic process.
Fayomi gave the charge on Friday at the 2026 Annual Youth Summit, Empowerment Programme and Grand Patron Induction organised by the Ijebu Youth Association at the Cathedral Hall, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
The summit, themed “Beyond White Collar Jobs: Empowering Ijebu Youth for Entrepreneurship, Self-Reliance and Building Consensus for the Creation of Our Dream State,” brought together traditional rulers, government representatives, business leaders, youth organisations and other stakeholders.
Fayomi warned youths against allowing politicians to use them to perpetrate violence during the build-up to the 2027 general elections.
“Do not allow yourselves to be used as instruments of violence, destruction or political intimidation,” he said.
He urged young people to participate actively in politics by studying the programmes, policies and records of political parties and candidates and making informed choices.
“No political ambition is worth the destruction of a young person’s life or future,” Fayomi said.
He added that politics should be a pathway to public service and development rather than an avenue for young people to destroy one another.
The IYA President said that the association was committed to equipping youths with practical skills and opportunities that would make them economically independent, noting that young people should not rely solely on white-collar employment.
He said that the association had previously supported 207 youths with vocational materials, while 10 beneficiaries received Information and Communication Technology equipment, including desktop computers.
According to Fayomi, the association was empowering more than 200 youths at the 2026 programme with vocational materials to enable them to start or strengthen their businesses.
He explained that “This is our modest contribution towards reducing unemployment, encouraging entrepreneurship and strengthening household incomes across our communities.
“The real work begins after today’s event,” he said, appealing to philanthropists, business leaders and other well-meaning individuals in Ijebuland to continue supporting the beneficiaries.
The IYA President disclosed that the association was working towards establishing a conducive hairdressing centre in Ijebu East Local Government Area, where trained beneficiaries could practise their skills, serve members of the community and create employment.
He said that the initiative was part of the association’s efforts to ensure that youth empowerment translated into sustainable livelihoods.
Fayomi also commended the Grand Patron of the association, Otunba Dr Kunle Hassan, for supporting the establishment of a barbering salon at Odo-Egbo, Ijebu-Ode, where some beneficiaries of the association’s empowerment programme could practise their skills and earn a living.
He said that the facility would also provide the association with a modest and sustainable income stream that could be reinvested in youth development programmes.
He called for stronger collaboration among government, traditional institutions, parents, private-sector leaders, philanthropists and youth organisations to achieve sustainable youth development in Ijebuland.
Speaking at the event, Dr Kunle Hassan, the Chairman of Eye Foundation Hospital, urged Nigerian youths to change their mindset and stop depending on the achievements of previous generations.
Hassan said that the changing global economy required young people to embrace innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship.
“We have to have a change in mindset. Over the years, due to political instability and changes in values, the youth have developed a dependency attitude,” he said.
He urged youths to look inward, identify available resources and work together to build businesses capable of transforming their communities.
Hassan, who was the chairman of the event, said that the success of young Nigerians in the technology and fintech sectors showed that the younger generation had the capacity to create solutions and build successful businesses.
“Nigerian youths are very brilliant, but are we using it positively to create something? Something new, something larger than life. They have the potential,” he said.
Hassan said that the older generation had a responsibility to support young people with experience and resources but insisted that youths must take ownership of their businesses and decisions.
Also speaking, a former Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture and former Rector of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Dr Adeola Odedina, said that the government and other stakeholders must create an enabling environment for young people to thrive.
Odedina said that youths had the energy and drive to lead in different sectors but needed access to technology, finance, markets and other forms of support.
The former commissioner, who spoke particularly on agriculture, said that young people could transform the sector if they were provided with the necessary support.
“For youth to take the lead in agriculture, there must be support and links. Strength alone cannot do it. Technology, support- that’s what the youth need,” Odedina said.
Source: Politics Archives – New Telegraph
