Fayemi tasks Nigerian Youth to be agent of Change

MINISTER of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Saturday, tasked Nigerian youths to be agents of change towards repositioning the country and rank the nation among the best in the comity of nations.

The Minister gave this charge in Owo, Owo local local government area of Ondo state, during the fifth Convocation ceremony of Achievers University, Owo.

Fayemi who stated this after being decorated with an honorary degree of Doctor of Science in Public Administration while dedicating the award to “every young person pursuing a vision for a brighter future” urged the graduating students and the Nigerian youths in general to continuously seek knowledge and develop analytical mind in addition to self-discipline.

The Minister urged the youth to re-discover themselves in order to be of great benefit to the society. “Explore your mind, discover yourself and then give the best that is in you to your age and to your world” he said.

Reinstating his earlier charge to the youth to quit whining  and to do away with any sense of entitlement, and urged them to always think deeply and come up with solutions to situations that anger them, as against complaining.

According to him, “If something angers you so much, instead of complaining, you need to think hard about the possible solutions and do something about it because anger in and of itself is not a strategy”

He noted that whereas this admonition had been misinterpreted by some writers, he said he was glad that many youths got the message and are running with it.

“It is my hope and prayer that our efforts in politics and governance will go a long way in creating a new Nigeria where dreams come true- a country where every citizen regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, religion, physical ability, health status, economic circumstances or any other social markers will have opportunities and enabling environment to achieve their God-given purpose in life”.

Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University, Dr Bode Ayorinde, had called on government to focus more on industrialisation as a panacea for the dwindling fortune of the country.

Dr Ayorinde pointed out that the 15 nations of the world known for trillion dollar economies, mostly achieved their wealth through manufacturing and service industries.

“To be a wealthy nation, we must industrialise Nigeria. Put an industrial estate in each of the 109 senatorial districts in Nigeria today, our problems as regards security, unemployment and all other social vices will vanish.” He added.

He said the idea of persuading Nigerian graduates to go back to the farm is both laudable and laughable. He added that it make no sense urging a graduate to go back to peasant farming, stressing that educated youth can only be attracted to farming at an industrial or mechanised scale.

Dignitaries in attendance at the colourful ceremony include the Governor of Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN); Minister of Defence, Brig-General Mansur Dal- Ali (rtd); Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Hon Abubakar Bawa Bwari; former deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof Modupe Adelabu and Chairman, House committee on Water Resources, Hon Aliyu Ahman-Pategi, who was also awarded a honorary doctor of Science degree.