Gainful engagement of youths will guarantee peaceful coexistence ―Jimoh Balogun

MR Jimoh Balogun, an entrepreneur says peaceful coexistence will be guaranteed in the country if youths are gainfully engaged in creative production.

Balogun made this known in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said such peaceful coexistence would be beneficial to the society and would ultimately strengthen the quest for national development.

“Youths engagement in positive endeavours bring out the best and make them more agreeable to societal norms and values.

“When people, especially the youths are well engaged in creating things or adding value to materials already created, you see them have a sense of self-worth.

“Government should strive to put action into words by establishing well-designed structures to channel their strength into the productive venture.

“This should be done with the help of recognised youth role models that have been tested and trusted in their areas of discipline,’’ he said.

Balogun said his organisation, which produced paint was in involved in training promising entrepreneurs in various aspects of paint technology.

“After their training with the small capital they can start up by making paints and at the same time learn how to coat a house so that they do not just learn how to make paints but also to acquire the knowledge on how to apply it.

“As they are empowered, they will, in turn, empower others and the society will be at peace,’’ the entrepreneur said.

He, therefore, called on other established SMEs to invest in youth empowerment, saying “because that is the only way we can sleep and close our eyes and Nigeria will experience peace in national development.’’

Speaking on the forthcoming Science and Technology Expo, he said it was a good forum for SMEs to showcase their innovations, also an opportunity to learn from other people’s innovations.

“I hope to be given an opportunity to be there to see other young innovators and the things they come up with, ultimately the nation will benefit from it.’

The Science and Technology Expo is an annual event organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology with the aim of bringing together scientists, researchers and inventors across the country to showcase their inventions and innovation.

The 2018 event is scheduled to take place on March 5 to March 9, with the theme: “Fast-tracking Sustainable Development of Nigeria through Science and Technology’’.