THE Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, has enjoined the Federal Government to remain committed to youth empowerment, warning that failure to do so may spell doom for the country.
This was as Oba Ogunwusi while noting that the closing of the country’s “border is really working” urged the youth to go back into farming, disclosing that he was collaborating with the Federal Government on that.
The monarch made the call when leaders of Longrich, led by its CEO, Mr Alex Jia; Mrs Titilope Ejimagwa and Mr Seun Osofisan, paid him a courtesy visit in Lagos.
Oba Ogunwusi, who warned that Nigeria was sitting on a keg of gun powder should the youth get frustrated, said there was the need for the Federal Government to embark on youth empowerment.
“The closing of our border is really working but I am encouraging our youths to go back into farming and I am working with the Federal Government on that.
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“We are going to use our platform to empower our youths. If you look at what Longrich is doing now, I marvel.
“It is important for us to be committed to how to empower our youths. Nobody is safe in Nigeria because we are sitting on a keg of gun powder. That is the truth and we do not pray for the revolt of these youths. If the youths get frustrated, we are going to be in trouble.
“We do not want to wait for their (youths) revolt because once they revolt, there is going to be a problem for everybody and nobody will be safe,” the Ooni warned.
“The rate at which our population is going is astronomical and in another 20 to 30 years, Nigeria will be the third or fourth-largest population in the world.
“Our youths are smart. If you look at those youths involved in Boko Haram, they thought they were into business but it turned out to be something else,” he said.
The monarch, however, argued that it was about the number but how effective the country was to provide for her youths and get them involved in wealth creation, just as he expressed joy in being associated with Longrich “that will continue to give our youths hope.”
According to him, “If we have 20 of this platform (Longrich), Nigeria will be better,” assuring that he would continue to give the Nigerian youths hope.
Earlier, while seeking the blessing of the monarch, Mr Osofisan said the principle behind Longrich was to impact on the welfare of the people, disclosing that the body had in its seven years of coming to Africa impacted on the people by teaching them to give back to humanity.
“Presently, we have so many people who have benefitted from Longrich. We have decided to put up a plant that costs N50 billion and 50, 000 youths will be employed as the plant takes off at the Lekki Free Trade Zone. With your support, we know we will turn around the story of Africa. We will need you to teach us how we can reach out to the whole of Africa,” he said.
and then