By Moses Adeniyi
The Lagos State Government (LASG), has said it’s focus in organising the 2022 Ibile Youth Academy was borne by the need to ensure youths in the State are adequately equipped for a prosperous future with global competitiveness.
In his welcome address at the opening ceremony on Monday at Onikan Youth Center, the State’s Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Olusegun Dawodu said, “the academy is all about helping young people chart a path for a progressive and prosperous adult life while it promises to be a life changing and once in a life time experience.”
According to Mr Dawodu, “Ibile Youth Academy” is a leadership training platform designed to inculcate in young people the virtues of citizenship, leadership and volunteerism for the development of their personality, society, the state and by extension the nation.The leadership training will also ignite their personal development and transformation required for bright future.”
On her part, Permanent Secretary, Pharm (Mrs) Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu stated that the Ibile Youth Academy was developed as another intervention aimed at addressing issues affecting youths by offering various programmes that will build the health, physical, personal, social, cognitive, creative, citizenship and civic competencies of the youths.
Pharm (Mrs) Oke-Osanyintolu added, “The Academy emphasizes learning strategies based on fun, play, action group and individual challenges teaching life skills rather than academic lessons.
“The training will also enable all its participants particularly those disadvantaged or in the most need to reach the full potential as responsible citizens by providing all necessary resources and inculcating beliefs that they can succeed and receive recognition for their personal accomplishments.”
Reiterating the readiness of the present administration to continue to create an enabling environment for the teeming population of youths to maximize their potentials, the Permanent Secretary called on the Private Sectors, NGOs and Philanthropists to partner with the State Government in the areas of mentorship, apprenticeship, employment and apprenticeship in order to make the lives of the youth in Lagos State and Nigeria better.
In sharing their experiences, Miss Funmilayo Akannishelle (outgoing State Youth Ambassador) and Mr Shodunke Qudus (outgoing Lagos Division Ambassador) disclosed that their participation in the Ibile Youth Academy (I.Y.A) had impacted positively on their lives in various areas.
The duo, amongst other participants that testified to the transformation they got from 2021 edition of the programme, said that emotional Intelligence, financial Management, leadership Skills, volunteerism as well as citizenship were some of the subjects imparted to them in the course of attending the 2021 I.Y.A which made them to be outstanding among their peers ever since.
At the end of the five days intensive training during which the participants drawn from the five divisions of the state would have be taken on different topics by seasoned facilitators, the exceptional and outstanding will be named “STATE YOUTH AMBASSADOR 2022” while the leading participants from each division will also be named “DIVISIONAL YOUTH AMBASSADORS”.