Degree certificates no longer dependable, develop skills, Osun Senator tells youths

Nigerian youths are productive, energetic and focused but the reality on ground is that the public service can no longer absorb all graduates Universities produce year in,year out.

Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly Dr Ajibola Basiru dropped the hint at a night out interactive session he had with the National Council of Nigerian Youths,Osun chapter at his GRA residence.

Dr Basiru who observed that Nigerians have always demonstrated passion for industry and excellence right from the days of nationalist struggles remarked that the nation is still blessed with resourceful young men and women who are doing wonderfully well in business,vocation and sports, away from the bloated public service.

He charged youths to also begin to take practical and active part in politics instead of expecting that the system must reserve seats and slots for youths.

“We need elders in politics to drink from their fountain of knowledge and experience as we need youths to bank on their energy and resourcefulness. It’s a symbiotic association and relationship. Youths have to be competitively involved in politics and vie for slots. The space is capacious.”

“Let me also encourage you to develop other skills outside certificates. Hundreds of youths are doing well in business,vocation and sports and have become employers of labour instead of being job seekers. Our next empowerment programme targets agriculture and we expect energetic youths to take the advantage to stand on their own.”

Senator Ajibola who decried the way some young blood have taken to drugs and Internet fraud charged the leadership of Osun Youth Council to initiate enlightenment campaign for youths about dangers involved in drugs,promising his assistance in that regard.

Also addressing the gathering,Commissioner for Works and Transport,Engineer Remi Omowaye, described Senator Ajibola Basiru as the pride of Osun at the Senate even as a first timer. He declared that Basiru presence at the Senate is not for Osun Central but for the entire State.

Engineer Omowaye assured Osun youths of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s commitment to youth matters,going by the composition of the recently announced Caretaker Executive Committee members for LGs and LCDAs with 70 percent youths.

Earlier,the President of Osun Youth Council,Comrade Ismail had lauded Senator Ajibola Basiru for giving them the opportunity to interactive with him,a step he described as the first in a longtime from a representative.

Assuring Senator Ajibola Basiru of the support of youths in the State for his venture in politics,Comrade Ismail enjoined Senator Ajibola Basiru to raise the banner higher for young men and women in his subsequent programmes as he had promised.