Kunle Adelabu & Kenneth Odede
About 100 hundred youths, mostly those who are leaving secondary schools, have been engaged by resource persons who have prepared their minds to what they should expect when they are eventually admitted to study in higher institutions.
They were also given lessons in future leadership and how to navigate the technological driven and highly competitive 21st century world.
The students were imparted with these lessons at the maiden Prince Damola Tosin Ogunlaja Annual Leadership Lecture themed: ‘Empowering the Future: Navigating Admission to Graduation with Purpose’, and held at the Igbogbo/Baiyeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Secretariat on Wednesday.
The community educational engagement initiative was organized by The Damola Tosin Ogunlaja Foundation in conjunction with Igbogbo Youth Forum (IYF), and supported by Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Igbogbo Students’ Union and National Youth Council of Nigeria, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA chapter.
The convener, Mr Damola Ogunlaja, welcoming guests and participants, thanked all the partners for supporting the initiative and making it come into a reality.
He assured the audience that the maiden edition of the initiative won’t be the last of the lecture.
“We want to thank all our partners for their contributions, and I am assuring you that TDO Foundation is ready to partner with all other partners to develop our community”, he said.
The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Social Development, Comrade Oba Biliamin Lekan, who spoke on the sub – theme, ‘Developing The Ideal Next Generation Youth With Modern Skills And Knowledge’, charged the students on the need to always build relationship with others, stating that connections is very important to their development.
He also prepared them on taking decisions regarding the choice of courses in higher institutions and life after graduation which he said would be the major determinant of how they would eventually live their lives through.
“The first thing that should come to your mind is networking, because you don’t know if the person next to you has something that can impact your life positively. Make friends because connections are very important.
“One thing I want you to know is that the world out there is not the same world you live in right now. The moment you step into the higher institutions, it becomes a different ball game entirely, because you have just four years to determine what happens to your next 30, 40 or 50 years, and the moment you make a mistake, it might be almost impossible for you to get it right again”, he said.
He emphasised the importance of having knowledge in technology and skills to adapt to the challenging world.
The Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Builder Sesan Daini, who spoke to the audience on, ‘Tertiary Education: Leveraging Opportunities for Personal & Career Growth’, thanked the Convener and organisers of the impacting initiative. He stated that gaining admission into the higher institution is a defining moment in a young man’s life.
“The tertiary education has to do with the polytechnic and the university education, but it’s not only about gaining admission for a degree. It is a phase where you identify who you are; what you are passionate about; develop a skill and network that would shape your career. You find direction not only in your chosen profession but how you want to impact .
“Do not pass-through universities by passing examinations alone, but also pass through the experience and use it to transform your values and capacity. It is much more important to study beyond what you are being taught in class and when you find yourself in a school setting, it is not just about what you have in your book, but also more about continuous learning and developing yourself”, he said.
He charged the students to recognize opportunities in tertiary institutions, engage in academic excellence and research, participate in students’ unions for leadership training and develop their skills to stay competitive.
He also charged them not to see leadership as a position, but a responsibility and means to impact.
Dr Abdul Fatai Abiodun Abatan, acting Dean, Students’ Affairs, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Lagos, who was represented by Mr Seun Elesho, a member of the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG), in his own engagement, used his personal life stories to interfaced with the students.
He spoke on the theme of public engagement.
He narrated how he had to write WAEC twice and how wrong decisions made him pass through College of Education, Polytechnic before his eventual admission into a university, and how he learnt that adapting to whatever given situation is important.
He urged the young audience to participate fully in campus activities and enjoy their freedom while there, but added that they must spend their time wisely and not allow other activities overshadow their academics and personal growth in higher institutions.
Elesho also charged them on the need to acquire vocational skills to compliment whatever profession that they will eventually have.
In discussing, ‘Activism, Unionism and Personal Empowerment: A Path To Growth’, Barrister Leke Bakare, a legal practitioner and former President, Students’ Union Government (SUG), LASU, encouraged the students to participate in active unionism, emphasising that union engagement has a way of shaping people to becoming a better version of themselves.
“You all would agree with me that these three topics are interconnected because there’s no way you can develop yourself without passing through these things. For those who have passed through unionism, they are the main vocal people. The likes of Senator Opeyemi Bamidele who is now the Majority of the Senate in the National Assembly. He is a very vocal Senator, because he was once a student union leader. In fact, the immediate past Majority Leader of the Lagos State Assembly, Hon. SOB Agunbiade, was once a union leader and even the chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Comrade Daini being vocal is because he was once a union leader and he has passed through this platform.
He also cited how his union engagement shaped his own life.
“I was once a member of the Igbogbo Students’ Union. I started my career and unionism here in Igbogbo Students’ Union, which is one of the oldest in the country. I can assure you that if you surrender yourself to be tutored by the Igbogbo Students Union, you will definitely do something good for your life”, the former students’ leader said.
Mr O.O Samuel, a public speaker and health professional, engaged the students on health issues and charged them to desist from the use of drugs. He presented data showing the serious effects of drug abuse on the country and why it must be stemmed.
He said that the majority of the youth demography between 15 and 24 years, which represent the future of the country, are involved in drugs, adding that many children from age 11 are out on the street facing the ugly reality of life, and are exposed to various substances.
“If you don’t stop smoking or taking substances now, you would not only spoil your life, but also destroy ours in addition, Ask me why.It is because the youths are the future of this country and we are expecting that they will all take over this country tomorrow”, he added.
As a way out of the endemic act, Samuel called for strong parenting and the need for parents to develop exemplary characters that their children can copy, ensuring that youths are turned away from the adoption of entertainers that promotes hard drugs as role models, personal resolve and discipline by individuals not to do drugs. He also urged the youths to keep good company.
Also at the event, free medical services were provided by Aremei Diagnostics Clinical Service Limited.
Other guests at the event were Prince Ademola Ogunlewe, Coordinator of the event, Dr Leke Dankwo, President, Igbogbo Youth Forum, Lion Tunde Ogunsanya who represented the Chairman – elect, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Hammed Olalekan Aroyewun, Mr Ogunsanwo Ridwan, Coordinator, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Igbogbo/Bayieku, and Mr Taokeef Ipaye, a youth leader.
