Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has said his administration will continue to give youths in the state the platforms and opportunities to unlock their potentials.
The governor said his government was committed to the education of the young people and was taking production seriously, having realised that for any nation to prosper economically it must create entrepreneurs.
Makinde stated these at the grand finale of the Oyo State Youth Summit 2025, held on Wednesday at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
The governor added that youths must be educated, well-informed and also lean towards entrepreneurship.
“Sometimes, when I attend a programme like this, I ask myself: these people in front of me, are they stretching their hands out for us to give them handouts or are they the potentials that we need to unlock to create prosperity for this country?
“Well, I believe that you folks that I am seeing here today are the potentials that we must unlock to create economic prosperity for this country.
“At 29, I started paying people’s salaries and I have not stopped.
“Yesterday [Tuesday], at the commissioning of the ICT Centre donated by the Renewed Hope Initiative, I mentioned something very significant, which I believe is central in my message.
“People will say that the average age in Nigeria is less than 30. So, what is the usefulness of our youths who are not productive? After leaving the university, there is no job for them.
“Some people would talk about a conspiracy theory; that Nigeria is being held down by advanced countries.
“But we were in Finland together with some people here and we asked them over there how they became one of the richest countries. We asked if they have oil, but they said education led them to where they are currently as a nation.
“Nigeria’s illiteracy rate right now is quite high. So, my message is that nobody will hold Nigeria down once we get our structure and leadership right, and we will unlock these potentials.
“Economic prosperity would come when we have entrepreneurs. Some of you are planning for jobs and looking at opportunities to be created by others.
“But I only worked for an organisation once in my entire life. I did one year of Youth Service in 1990-1991. I later worked for Shell and after that, I started working for myself. In the beginning, I could not even call myself a Managing Director, because I was too young.
“So, we must create entrepreneurs and you must always have that in mind. Get exposure if you have the opportunity. If you don’t, read up.
“We must be serious with education; we must educate our people to reduce illiteracy. If you are well-informed you will be able to make decisions that are logical.
“Finally, we must have intensive production. We have to be productive. I was here for a debate for the 2023 elections.
“”Somebody asked if I was going to support local government autonomy and I said I would support productivity at the local government level.
“If autonomy is about what you share with local government areas in Abuja, that is not going to take us anywhere, because our population is growing and the handouts from Abuja have remained stagnant.
“These really are my messages to you this morning. Think about the three things that I already mentioned; economic prosperity would not come except we have entrepreneurs, except we have our people educated and except we back it up with intensive production.
“I give you the assurance that Oyo State would always lead the charge as we would give you the opportunities to unlock your potential,” Makinde said.
Speaking earlier, the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Miss Wasilat Adegoke, lauded the Governor Makinde administration for implementing policies and initiatives that have impacted positively on youths in the state.
She stated that the administration has continued to prioritise youth development, knowing that the future of the state lies in the hands of its teeming young people.
Adegoke charged youths to take ownership of their lives, unlock their potentials by being proactive, innovative and ready to impact their communities.
She said: “Under the leadership of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde, our state has witnessed a standard perspective in youth empowerment with initiatives that have positively impacted the lives of our youths in the state.
“This administration has prioritised youth development, recognising that the future of our state lies in the hands of our young people.
“His policies and programmes have been designed to unlock the potentials of the youth, providing them with the necessary tools, skills and support to succeed.
“Our government has implemented various initiatives aimed at empowering the youths, including youth entrepreneurship programmes to foster innovation and job creation.
“These initiatives are yielding positive results and we are committed to continuing our efforts to ensure that every person in Oyo State has access to opportunities that would enable them to reach their full potential.
“As we gather here today, I urge you to take ownership of your potential. Be proactive, be innovative and be determined to make a positive impact in your communities.
“Seize this opportunity to take calculated risks, develop your skills and build strong networks and mentorship. Stay focused in the face of challenges.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank the governor for giving me the opportunity to serve the young people of Oyo State.”
The Oyo State Youth Summit 2025, with the theme “Unlocking youth Potential: Addressing Needs, Fulfilling Dreams,” began on Tuesday with an awareness walk/sensitisation on drug abuse across the five zones of the state.
It continued on Wednesday with plenary sessions, panel discussions and interactive sessions for skill development.
Governor Makinde, who was given an “Award of Lifetime Achievement in Governance”, also presented different categories of awards to his Chief of Staff, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Miss Lolade Ajibola; Managing Director of BOVAS Oil and Gas Limited, Dr (Mrs) Victoria Samson; Mr Mustapha Iskil, popularly known as Arojinle; and Mrs Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, among others.
