The Office of the Alaafin of Oyo, in collaboration with the Next Up Naija Empowerment Programme, is set to empower youths in various vocations.
This was according to a statement on Saturday by the Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaiye, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The statement reads, “A total of 2,000 youths, drawn from various communities, will be trained for two months in vocations such as hair making, barbing, spa management, cream and soap production, make-up, catering, pastry making, shoemaking, driving, tailoring, and security services.”
The statement added that the empowerment programme, which will commence on April 28 and end on May 28, 2025, will be held at the Alaafin’s Palace in Oyo town.
The programme is an attestation to Alaafin Akeem Owoade’s concern for the youths. This is because they constitute the major resource base for any country that wants to embark on any meaningful development project.
“Young people must be trained, as quickly as possible, to provide leadership in economic development projects. They must be developed intellectually, morally, and socially, with relevant skills to face a rapidly advancing technological world,” it added.
The monarch stated that youths can also contribute to the upkeep of their families, adding that “Entrepreneurship is a major avenue to increasing the rate of economic growth, creating job opportunities, reducing imports of manufactured goods, and decreasing the trade deficits that result from such imports.”
Credit: oyonews.com.ng
