Oluwo raises hope of youths, donates N2m empowerment fund

While the public is reacting to his recent marital issue with his Canadian former wife, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, is diverting his energy to multi-million naira youths empowerment aimed, according to him, at securing bright future for his subjects at home and outside his domain.

That was the main reason he personally attended a one-day employability and entrepreneurship summit organized by Arise and Impact Nigerian Youths Initiative in partnership with Uniplan Integrated Services.

Held at JBO Hotels and Suites in Iwo, the Oluwo said the promotion of the potential in Nigerian youths was one of the reasons he fought to occupy the throne of his forefathers, tasking Nigerian youths to engineer innovative ideas capable of challenging old orders.

Announcing the N2 million start-up of the empowerment at the summit, Oba Akanbi implored  the beneficiaries to judiciously use the fund to shape their future and add value to themselves, Iwo, Osun State and the nation as a whole.

“Each beneficiary will be given N100,000 to support their business. ten out of the participants at this summit will be selected while the rest 10 will be distributed to the three local governments of Iwoland- Iwo, Ayedire and Ola Oluwa. This is just the tip of the iceberg. We will test-run the youth empowerment with N2million for a start while we float the scheme fully next year” he said amidst ovation.

He maintained that he is on the throne as a youth to work for the youths to whom, he said, the future belongs. Oba Akanbi charged the youths on the need to always think of new innovative system different from the old ways, saying he expects Nigerian youths to be digital in thinking instead of doing things in the old way, which according to him, belongs to the past.

He said “As a traditional ruler, I have led several struggles against traditional corruption but to my amazement, I see few youths still condemning such move. Service to humanity is my watchword. I left Canada to contribute better to humanity in my source. But at that, no one appreciates it but God does. And one with God is majority.

“I want to appeal to the youths for a change of mind. The system we met on ground is not working. We will stop complaining the day youths are ready to challenge the old styles on ground.”

Oluwo commended  the organizer of the programme, Mr. Mutallub Yusuf Olagold, for committing his resources to lift youth’s out of mental and physical poverty.

Besides the N2 million empowerment fund, the Oluwo also walked the talk by paying unscheduled visit to the workshop of a physically challenged cobbler, Rasheed Onilude, at Oke-Odo along First Bank, Oluponna road in the town.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that Onilude has always been an inspiration to the physically challenged and able bodied people to see legitimate works as a panacea to poverty.

Oba Akanbi surprised by buying all the foot wear he had on displayed and shared them to the   people. The traditional ruler also gave him some amount of money to expand his business.

Oluwo said, “Encouraging the industrious disabled is the responsibility of all and sundry. I am popular among the youths and all classes of my subjects because of my belief in human development, which government alone cannot undertake at this time.”

The excited Yusuf Olagold expressed his appreciation to the Oluwo for his presence at the event, describing him as Godsent traditional whose life revolves around youths and youths development. He affirmed his affection for Oba Akanbi, hence his tutelage under him come rain, come shine.

“I can say it anywhere that Baba is 21st Century traditional ruler when new generation need to be inspired in their life careers. I have worked closely with him and found a teacher in him with his liberal disposition and God-given wisdom with which he easily handles matters which look complex,” he said.

Similarly, the shocked Olunlade also confessed that it would take him some time to get over the effect of the Oluwo’s visit to his workshop at the least expected time.

“How could I have imagined or dreamt of such a surprise visit to me by a whole Oluwo of Iwo? I am still reflecting as if it was a long dream. But I know it is not a dream because I had heard news of his similar visits to the aged in their family compounds. May he live longer than his predecessors,” he prayed.