The Deputy Speaker of the Ekiti House of Assembly, Mr. Hakeem Jamiu, has tasked Nigerian youths not to over depend on the government for white collar jobs but rather endeavor to be self-reliant.
He stated this at the ongoing 34th National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST) entrepreneurship skill roundtable meeting held at the State Civic Centre, Ado-Ekiti.
He stated that overdependence on white collar jobs over the years has hindered the nation’s economic growth, as most Nigerian youths no longer take pride in acquiring entrepreneurship skills.
He, however, urged Nigerian youths to look out for their innate skills and develop them as an alternative source of revenue generation, aside from their educational achievements.
Also, Olufunke Awodiya, a poet and farmer further urged youths to invest in acquiring entrepreneurship skills and to be proud ambassadors of their roots as a panacea to their progress in life.
Falegan stated that she started the business of selling pounded yam in 1991 when she was in Primary six while advising youths to take up entrepreneurial skills as an alternative source of income anytime the need arises.
According to her, she has trained her children and has built houses from the money generated from selling pounded yam.
In his remarks, Chief Olusegun Runsewe, the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), stated “Our duty is to reawaken your consciousness, not everyone can be employed by the government.
Also, an Environmentalist, Nuhu Wasiu, educated the youth present on the economic value of transforming all forms of waste to wealth.
Wasiu guided them with visuals on how plastics could be transformed into houses and other forms of materials while urging them to engage in waste collection for wealth creation.
Packaged By Emmanuel Adeniran
