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Reflecting on Seyi Tinubu’s youth-centric exploits

Nigeria has produced so many presidents with successful sons and daughters, but Seyi Tinubu stands tall. His incredibly dominant stature is not in his body length and weight, but in his well fitted intellectual capacity, street credibility, dazzling generosity and unsurpassable love for the youth population. His youth empowerment drive earned him the sobriquet: “The King of Boys.” He has promoted countless number of youths to become big players in business, governance and politics. In fact, he deserves the respect he is being widely accorded.

Going by the trajectory of leadership in Nigeria, class difference has been a major snag which widens the gulf between the privileged few and the poor. Hardly could people have access to the children of a governor, let alone a president that is holed up in the Presidential Villa.

But Seyi Tinubu is a man without protocol. He has demystified this myth and defied this long standing history. While some were creating and building classes and walls, Seyi was dismantling barriers to fraternise with the poor. He loathes pride and unnecessary social stratification. This has differentiated him from others in his ilk. Most fascinating about his exploits is the way he carries youth empowerment on his head. Even before President Bola Tinubu›s presidency, he had been championing the cause of the Nigerian youth.

He holds the fanatical view that the monster called “poverty” can be dismantled within the youth›s ranks, with government and privileged people pulling the right strings and placing their hands on the ploughs.

As a serving Commissioner for Youth Development in Ekiti State under a youth-friendly governor, Biodun Oyebanji, I knew the difficulties being encountered by the young population. I knew how much our government was expending to disentangle Ekiti youths from the web of poverty. I understand the enormity of the task ahead to really put their feet on a rocky pedestal.

Under the foregoing context, I am in a position to cherish whoever commits personal funds to support government in subduing some of the identified challenges confronting our productive population. This is the spectrum from which I am viewing Seyi Tinubu’s exploits in youth empowerment.

Since his father mounted the saddle of governance two years ago, he has demonstrated that youths are majorly his focus. Seyi was instrumental to many of the youths that were appointed into his father›s cabinet. This accounted for why Tinubu’s government stands tall as the most youth-friendly government in Nigerian history.

It is, however, sad that everything is politicised in Nigeria. His fraternity with the poor was misinterpreted by some critics to mean an attempt to hoodwink the youths into voting for his father in 2027. Those opposed to his ideas have been making insalubrious comments to shoot down his good intention. Despite this, he remains unfazed in his commitment to the onerous duty. Rather than applaud series of empowerments programmes he has undertaken, the critics reeled out invectives and condemnations, contriving all manner of dirty intrigues to politicise his actions, as if everything starts and ends with politics.

In the just concluded Ramadan, Seyi demonstrated his stuff as he toured virtually all the states in Northern Nigeria with majority Muslims to lend his support. He distributed cash gifts and food to exhibit camaraderie to the Muslims.

In case the self-appointed critics didn’t know, Seyi, co-founder of Noella Foundation, had partnered with notable firms within and outside the country to create over 10,000 jobs for unemployed Nigerians. Among these are graduates and artisans. No group or class was alienated because of his belief in one Nigeria. As a true son of his father, he keyed into the Renewed Hope Agenda being driven by President Tinubu. This is predicated on the fact that the intention behind Tinubu›s agenda, where youth occupies a prime of place, coincides with his unflagging belief that youth must be accorded priority in governance.

Speaking in Kano, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Kaduna states during one of his outings, he disabused the minds of those linking his moves to politics. He said his passion for youth empowerment and economic emancipation predated his father’s presidency. He reiterated that he would continue to fight the cause of the Nigerian youth, whether his father was in position of authority or not. I firmly believe his assertion, because he is a man of his words. And he doesn’t play to the gallery.

As of August 1, 2024, Nigeria’s population is just under 230 million, with youths comprising 70 percent, which is about 160 million. Out of this tally, over 50 percent are either unemployed or underemployed. The foregoing fuelled the japa syndrome among Nigerian youths. This thus puts a great task on our leadership and successful individuals to coalesce actions to forestall Nigeria’s future from total collapse. He realised this long ago and was well mobilised to take up the gauntlet against poverty among the youth. Seyi never opposed japa (travelling of Nigerians abroad to seek greener pastures). He also doesn’t hold the view that there are no viable opportunities in Nigeria. He believes that they can realise their potential here if supported through government policies, programmes and most importantly, factoring them into the political and economic focuses.

In spite of criticism, his good deeds have attracted accolades from high profile Nigerians. Sokoto State governor, Dr Ahmad Aliyu, recently praised Seyi, founder of Renewed Hope Youth Empowerment Initiative, for his contributions to politics and economic development. He called on him to extend his programmes to Sokoto’s young population. The governor urged Nigerians to stop politicising and weaponising ethnicity to shoot down good intentions and commended Tinubu for his philanthropic gestures during Ramadan, especially towards the less privileged across the North.

Also, speaking at a medical outreach in Abuja to commemorate International Youth Day, Seyi said the Noella Foundation would create more jobs by up-skilling young Nigerians with tools, resources, and opportunities that empower them to carve their own niche towards success in different industries. “In a world where the challenges facing our young generation are both numerous and complex, Noella Foundation has emerged as a beacon of hope, a driving force that propels dreams into reality,” Tinubu said. As we look forward to the horizon of the next twelve months, we stand on the cusp of witnessing something truly remarkable. We would also back this up by setting up exchange programmes and summits within and outside Africa.

“We would also encourage those who have begun thriving businesses with resources to do more and employ more. We would also fill vacancies in organisations and institutions with young Nigerians who are willing and able to work. As we celebrate this remarkable day, let us be reminded of the countless stories that will soon unfold; stories of young minds breaking free from the shackles of unemployment, stories of resilience, determination, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

“Each of these jobs will be a stepping stone, a bridge that connects aspiration to achievement. Nigeria is blessed with a youthful population, with over 65% under the age of 30, making it one of the most blessed nations with youngest population globally.”

The Forum of Nigerian Youth and Sports Commissioners, which I chaired, valued Seyi Tinubu’s strides in youth empowerment and development. That was why the forum proceeded to engage him after my election on March 29, 2025, and gave assurances that we will work with him closely for his good deeds to percolate down to the states.

The commissioners used the interface to pass a vote of confidence in the Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande and lauded President Tinubu for giving the nation a truly youth-loving individual to man the Ministry.

According to Adedayo, working with Seyi Tinubu and the Youth Minister connotes that his colleagues are desirous of seeing their dreams of ensuring that the youth are economically, socially and politically viable, to be seamlessly accomplished across the states of the federation.

Building of a virile private-public partnership initiative, we believe, will create more robust networks that would make Nigeria’s young population more productive and economically engaging.