By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko
Ibadan – Mrs Dolapo Dosunmu, the Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Oyo State, has urged youths in the country to be self reliant and refrain from over dependence on government.
Dosunmu gave the advice in Ibadan on Saturday at the Youth Empowerment Seminar organised by the agency.
The seminar was organised in collaboration with a private outfit, Cherry Brooks Media, Lagos, and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.
Dosunmu said: “No condition has ever been permanent; our poor economic recession can’t be an exception,
“ Ethiopia was a country with famine and drought, but through the contributions of their youths’ resilience, deep determination to confront challenges, agriculture today is leading the country’s economic development.
“We can also follow suit, it’s never too late to do what is right.’’
The NOA boss also said one of the cardinal messages of change was a mental shift from an unproductive venture to a more beneficial one.
“It’s high time the youths swivelled their attention to how they can earn legitimate means of livelihood since dreams are said to be touchstones of our characters.
“Now that the Federal Government has upped its ante to revamp our technology, the youths should key into technological advancement and position themselves strategically to drive the process.
“The youth as an agent of positive change is expected to move from moral laxity to a height of moral rectitude,” she said.
The director said the free workshop for unemployed youths in Oyo State was to make them functional, self reliant and prosperous.
Also speaking, IITA Production Manager, Mr Oludare Odusanya, said the best years in Nigeria were the period when the country recorded prosperity in agricultural production.
He urged the youths to develop strong passion for agri-business and invest in it to earn a living.
“Our country is blessed with all we need, we shouldn’t allow foreigners to exploit the benefits for us.
“ Agri-business has a lot of value chains youths can invest in and flourish without even going to the farm first,” Odusanya said.
Delivering a lecture on how to make income through the internet, Mr Olumuyiwa Dada, the Responsibility Officer of Cherry Brooks Media, urged youths to do their best to be self reliant.
Dada advised them to develop their skills and strive to be self reliant by all legitimate means, including getting income through the internet without engaging in fraud.
“The government can only try but can’t solve the whole problems of unemployment in the country.
“The only job you can get now is the one you create for yourself; millions of graduates are unemployed.
“ You need to think and start making business with what you can do,” he said.
(Edited and controlled by Mufutau Ojo)