The Oyo State government on Monday welcomed 11 indigenes who were repatriated from Libya.
It is expecting eight others from the last batch that arrived the Port Harcourt Air Port yesterday.
The 11 returnees comprise six females and five males.
They were conveyed by the State Emergency Management Agency and received in Ibadan, the state capital, Deputy Governor Moses Adeyemo at the Governor’s Office.
Some of the returnees blamed the bad economic situation in the country for their plight in seeking greener pastures in Libya en route Europe.
Adeyemo urged the returnees to seek positive means of livelihood and productive engagements in the country, adding that the government had approved N10,000 for each of them to enable them settle down.
He said: “We thank God that you all arrived safely. When people complain about how bad Nigeria is, is it as worse as where you are coming from? Now, you can see that all it takes is that if someone is ready to use his strength and power, he or she could be meaningfully engaged. But when people run away from the country and end up in suffering and pain, it is still unfortunate.
“We want you to go back home and be gainfully engaged. You must get a means of positive engagement, even if it requires that you learn a trade or business. Don’t mind starting afresh. We are happy to have you back alive and well.
“The governor has approved that you get N10,000 each. It will get to you soon. Please, you might need to do a medical check-up to know your state of health. Those of you who have got certificates, it is just an avenue of learning something, in addition to your academic qualifications.
“Nowadays, you know the number of tertiary institutions in the country – private and public – and the number of graduates they are churning out.
“The most important thing for all of us nowadays, particularly parents, is to ensure that our wards and children learn something, apart from their academics. The youths must learn something else, apart from the search for white collar jobs. I am not saying people should not be educated, as education is the best legacy for anybody. If you have a degree, you can still learn a trade, and if you are unable to get a white-collar job, you can still keep body and soul together.”
