Oyebanji to Ekiti Youths: Maximise Opportunities, Shun Shortcuts

Oyebanji to Ekiti Youths: Maximise Opportunities, Shun Shortcuts

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has urged youths in the state to take advantage of the various opportunities and empowerment programmes provided by his administration to acquire relevant skills, establish sustainable businesses and become employers of labour.

Oyebanji said such initiatives were designed to equip young people with the capacity to become economically independent and contribute meaningfully to the development and prosperity of Ekiti State.

The governor spoke at the weekend during the International Youth Day Summit organised by the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ekiti State Chapter, to commemorate the 2026 International Youth Day.

Speaking at the event held at the Obafemi Awolowo Civic Centre, Ado-Ekiti, the governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr Gold Adedayo, urged youths to make effective use of the numerous youth-focused programmes introduced by his administration.

He said the initiatives were targeted at empowering young people, developing their skills and improving their economic prospects across various sectors.

Oyebanji explained that his administration had made youth development a strategic component of its development agenda, adding that the creation of a dedicated Ministry of Youth Development was informed by the need to give focused attention to the aspirations, challenges and potentials of young people in the state.

According to him, the government has deliberately created opportunities for youths in entrepreneurship, skills acquisition, digital innovation, agriculture, sports and other emerging sectors.

He listed some of the interventions to include direct financial support for youth and student organisations, skills training, enterprise development, provision of tools and start-up capital, innovation and technology platforms, as well as regular engagement with young people across the state.

While congratulating the youths on the occasion of International Youth Day, Oyebanji cautioned them against pursuing quick wealth through shortcuts, stressing that lasting success requires discipline, hard work, patience and continuous self-development.

He assured the youths that his administration would continue to provide an enabling environment for them to thrive, innovate and play meaningful roles in shaping the future of Ekiti.

In his keynote address, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, challenged young people in the state to discard the mindset that they are merely “leaders of tomorrow,” urging them to take ownership of the present and become active participants in shaping the future of Ekiti and Nigeria.

Aribasoye noted that government could not employ every young person, stressing that its responsibility was to create an enabling environment where youths could acquire skills, innovate, establish businesses and create wealth.

He urged them to prioritise competence, digital skills, entrepreneurship, agriculture, renewable energy and emerging technologies, while deploying their talents to build sustainable enterprises and generate employment opportunities.

The Speaker also challenged the youths to move from consumption to creation and from protests to constructive policy engagement.

He encouraged them to identify challenges within their communities and develop practical solutions capable of driving economic growth and social development.

Earlier, the Chairman of NYCN, Ekiti State Chapter, Comrade Segun Bankole, commended Governor Oyebanji for what he described as his administration’s commitment to youth development and empowerment.

Bankole said the various youth-oriented initiatives of the government demonstrated a deliberate effort to create opportunities for young people to become self-reliant, productive and active contributors to society.

He explained that the Youth Week and International Youth Day Summit were designed to provide a platform for young people from diverse backgrounds to interact, exchange ideas, build networks and explore practical ways of contributing to the development of Ekiti State.