The first lady of Lagos State, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has urged people in the private sector and public-spirited individuals to team up with the government to fashion out programmes to improve the lots of the youths in the society.
The governor’s wife made the call at the weekend while speaking at the graduation ceremony at Social Correctional Centre for Girls, Idi Araba, Mushin, Lagos State.
The Summer Coach titled: “Emotional Intelligence,” a week-long seminar, organised and sponsored by Impact and Inspire Initiative/Wuraolami Foundation, witnessed 14 of the participants bagging scholarships up to the university level as well as the unveiling of refurbished hairdressing boutique to train the girls at the centre.
Dr Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Mrs Comfort Adeleke, wife of Reverend Bukola Adeleke, the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Christian Religious Affairs, noted that youth constituted 60 per cent of the population, saying that the international policies and programmes mapped out for them must be implemented to adequately take care of the younger generation.
The governor’s wife, while maintaining that government must continue to play its part, said “it is also a statement of fact that government cannot singlehandedly handle the myriads of challenges confronting all the strata of the society.”
“Hence we need from the private sectors, multinational agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations, public-spirited individuals to continue to intervene and compliment efforts of the government. It is a good initiative that must be encouraged,” she said.
Founder of the Foundation, Dame Wuraola Williams, said she set it up based on what God had done for her and because of the experience she had when she was growing up, which she described as bad.
According to her, the Foundation is aimed at ensuring that others, especially the youth don’t have a similar experience while growing up, saying that the summer coach was set up to give the less- privileged sense of belonging and the confidence they lacked.
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“What I have gone through in life, it has been a very bad experience, I went through a lot and it got to a stage in my life that I nearly gave it up, and I prayed to the God Almighty, that if He gave a second chance, I would look up to the youth and be a good example, a good role model for the youth and I would put a smile on people’s faces.
“I set up this programme for the less privileged to eradicate inequality, what is going on on social media now, is that it is so saddening that the less privileged are getting frustrated, they are getting intimidated with what they are seeing.
“We want to give them that sense of belonging, that if the same opportunity is given to the minority and the majority unconditionally, they can do much better.
“So, we organise an event at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, to give them that same sense of belonging. Though having an event at Sheraton Hotel cost us millions of Naira, we never mind but, we achieved our aim,” she stated.
Williams said the latest seminar, which took place themed: “Emotional Intelligence,” had to hold because about 70 to 75 per cent of the girls lacked self-confidence based on her observation at the one earlier organised in which professionals were invited from abroad.
“We observed they lacked sense of belonging and self-confidence. We then decided to organise this seminar on emotional intelligence, in order for them to have more confidence in themselves, self-awareness and give them that confidence and self-reassurance that the position they are is not the end of their life.
“It is also to assure them that they have a brighter future and that they can achieve their objectives in life,” she said.
Bandits Stole My Chickens, Cut Off My Arms —Zamfara Man
Sanwo-Olu’s wife urges private sector, others to partner govt on youth development
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