Obasanjo advocates youth empowerment

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for collective efforts to ensure that young people are meaningfully engaged and taken off the streets.

According to a statement on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, the former president said this at the unveiling of the Obanta Centre in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

The centre, established under the Olusegun Obasanjo Youth Development Centre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, comprises a cinema, squash court, lawn tennis court, entrepreneurial hub, and other facilities.

Obasanjo noted that the Ijebu-Ode facility is the third of such projects promoted by him, following two others previously established in Abeokuta.

He said, “We have one in Panseke, Abeokuta; another at the OOPL, and now this one, the Obanta Centre in Ijebu-Ode. More are still coming.

“Our commitment is to get youths off the streets. As you can see, the centre provides hospitality, relaxation, and entertainment facilities where young people can learn and enjoy themselves.

“This is, in a way, a community hub designed to help people live full and balanced lives. You have to work and relax, recreate and socialise. But if all you do is socialise without working, that’s not good enough. To live a full life, you must work, rest, relax, socialise, and recreate.”

The ex-president urged Nigerian youths to take advantage of opportunities available within their communities to develop their innate and God-given talents for self-reliance, poverty reduction, and the overall socio-economic development of the country.

The Director of the OOPL Youth Centre, Mrs Bisi Kolapo, explained that the Obanta Centre also features a tennis court, five-a-side football pitch (convertible into a basketball court), volleyball court, and a swimming pool.

“We have two cinema halls, including a VIP cinema, and a gym facility where youths can enjoy themselves,” she said. “More importantly, we have an event hall for celebrations and other social activities.

“As the Chief Promoter said, beyond the facilities, we provide training for youths — entrepreneurship training, mentoring, and startup support. We teach them how to create businesses, employ others, and grow sustainable ventures.”

The Chairman of the occasion and Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland, Dr Sunny Kuku, commended Obasanjo for his contributions to the socio-economic development of Ijebu communities, especially in the areas of health, education, and social welfare.

Kuku said he was particularly impressed by the centre’s focus on health and wellness, noting that “when you have good health, wealth will follow.”

“This is the first of its kind in Ijebuland — a truly exceptional project,” he said. “I encourage others to build similar facilities that will complement this one. This is an extraordinary achievement, and we must thank the former president for his vision and generosity. May God continue to bless and preserve him in sound health for humanity.”