CCII urges govt to prioritise youth empowerment

The Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) has advised governments at all levels to prioritise skill acquisition and entrepreneurship training to empower youths in the country.

The President-General of CCII, Chief Sulaimon Ajeniyi Ajewole, stated this during the commissioning of the Kola Daisi Entrepreneurship Centre in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday.

The event was attended by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin, who was represented by the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Kola Adegbola; the Vice-Chancellor of Kola Daisi University, Professor Adeniyi Olatunbosun; the Jagun Balogun of Ibadanland, Chief Adewale Kadiri; the Ajia Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Abiola Iyiola; and the CCII Board of Trustees Chairman, Dr Lasisi Balogun.

Others in attendance included the Deputy Rector of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Mrs Olaide Salau; Professor Remi Raji-Oyelade; Mogaji Asimiyu Ariori; the Iyaloja General of Oyo State, Alhaja Saratu Aduke; and the Iyaloja of Ibadanland, Mrs Iswat Ameringun.

In his address, Ajewole advised the Nigerian government to allocate more funds to support and encourage skill acquisition and entrepreneurship training.

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He stated that the allocation of funds for skill acquisition would help ensure that youths become employers of labour, thereby reducing the unemployment rate in the country.

Ajewole said, “We thank God for the gift of life, and let us greet the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin, and the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Kola Adegbola. I greet the chairman of the day, the Jagun Balogun of Ibadanland, Chief Adewale Kadiri.

“Skill acquisition and entrepreneurship training is the way to go in this country. We have found that most graduates now look for opportunities to learn one vocation or another to survive because jobs are scarce.

“So, it is important for the government to prioritise skill acquisition and entrepreneurship among our youths. This will help us reduce unemployment drastically.

“It is unfortunate that we no longer see artisans. Nowadays, even with your money, you will still struggle to find carpenters, bricklayers, and other artisans because only a few people are in the trade. The best solution is for the government and other stakeholders to prioritise skill acquisition and entrepreneurship training.”

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Occasion and Jagun Balogun of Ibadanland, Chief Adewale Kadiri, urged the youths in Ibadan to make positive use of the centre, adding that it would go a long way in reducing social vices among the youths in the city.

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