Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President of Nigeria, has challenged young people on Thursday gave the youths the assignment to actively participate in all socioeconomic and political activities in order to change the narrative of Africa.
Obasanjo warned Nigerian youths against allowing those who “mess up with their future” to lead them again.
At the third Presidential youth mentorship retreat, which was put on by the Youth Development Center of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Obasanjo gave a speech in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
According to the former President, such involvement would also ensure that the young generation has a better future since it would prevent those who are ruining their future from succeeding.
Obasanjo who spoke on the theme “Removing Barriers against youth,” said, “in most parts of Africa, there are visible barriers and not so discernible barriers militating against the actualization of the latent potentials of the African youth.”
The main challenge to successfully reducing the barrier, according to Obasanjo, who was represented by the Deputy Chief Coordinator of OOPL, Dr. Ayodele Aderinwale, is “the attitudinal disposition and orientation of the young people.”
As a matter of strategy, he urged young people never to let another individual define or influence their place in society.
He contends that if our kids are so desperate that they will walk across the desert in search of menial jobs in Europe, then their strength, passion, and energy should be directed toward eradicating both physical and mental boundaries.
Obasanjo said “The villagization of the globe has rendered geographical barriers largely irrelevant. The movement towards a knowledge economy has also meant that proper nuances eliminate barriers. In essence economic opportunities have become transborder in nature and manifestation. There are enormous opportunities for private initiatives in the national and global economic space.
“The young people should demand vociferously that our governments must enhance enabling entrepreneurial environment for young people is also a key to unleashing a culture of entrepreneurship among the youth. As this will have a broader impact in promoting sustainable development and addressing the barriers that specifically hinder young people like yourself to be economically empowered. Such empowerment will not only improve the individual life but also affect their community positively as they will serve as an agent of wealth creation.
“In conclusion, I am challenging you as young Africans to engage in activities that would change the African narrative by participating fully in all the socio-economic and political activities that guarantee a better future for you and not allowing those who are messing up your future to succeed.”
