By Shina Abubakar, OSOGBO
President Bola Tinubu has disclosed that Nigeria’s greatest asset is not the mineral deposit beneath its soil but the creative youth population with there resilience and abundant talent.
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Tinubu said this at the flag off construction of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Centre for Youth Empowerment and Inter-Cultural Dialogue at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Osun State at the weekend.
The President was represented by the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hazmat, said the event transcend a mere celebration but a national statement and deliberate investment in the aspiration of Nigeria’s young population.
While describing that the establishment of the centre as timely and strategic, he said the centre offer opportunity to develop a structured platform through which young Nigerians can acquire relevant skills, transform ideas into enterprises, access mentorship.
His words, “Today is more than a ceremonial occasion. It is a statement of national purpose. It represents an investment in the aspirations of our young people, a commitment to the unity of our country, and a recognition that Nigeria’s greatest resource is not merely what lies beneath its soil, but the talent, creativity, resilience and enterprise of its people.”
“The establishment of this Centre is therefore timely and strategic. It offers an opportunity to develop a structured platform through which young Nigerians can acquire relevant skills, transform ideas into enterprises, access mentorship, engage with industry and international partners, and contribute to national development.
He emphasised that the centre’s success should be measured by the opportunities it creates for young people and the lives it transforms.
“The true value of this Centre will ultimately be determined not by the magnificence of its buildings, but by the quality of the opportunities it creates and the lives it transforms,” he stated.
He also called for partnerships among universities, industries, government, investors and international development institutions to connect young people with economic opportunities and help transform their ideas into viable enterprises.
He also highlighted the importance of mutual respect and understanding among people from different ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds, with the aim of promoting national unity, peaceful coexistence and social cohesion.
“Our expectation should be that, in the years ahead, this institution will be known not merely as a centre of learning, but as a centre of transformation—one that produces capable leaders, responsible citizens, innovative entrepreneurs and globally competitive professionals.
“The Centre should provide a meeting point for universities, industry, government, investors, civil society and international development institutions,” the President said.
In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simeon Bamire said the centre was conceived as a response to challenges confronting young people, including unemployment, limited access to skills development, unequal economic opportunities and social exclusion.
He said the initiative would provide a sustainable platform for equipping young people with practical competencies, promoting enterprise and innovation, and connecting talent with meaningful opportunities.
According to him, the centre would serve as an internationally recognised platform where young people from Nigeria, Africa and other parts of the world could learn, collaborate, innovate and develop solutions to shared challenges.
“Its programmes would promote entrepreneurship, digital technology, leadership, creative enterprise and peacebuilding, while encouraging cooperation across cultural and national boundaries”, he added.
The proposed centre will feature an international conference and dialogue complex, a digital innovation and learning duplex, an entrepreneurship and incubation hub, a scholars and creators lodge, a culture exhibition and community engagement centre, as well as administrative, research and support infrastructure.
The project is expected to promote human capital development, employment and enterprise growth, peace, inclusion and social cohesion. It is also intended to provide networking opportunities and support research and policy development.
The project is expected to provide young people with opportunities to learn, collaborate, innovate and engage across cultural boundaries. January was mentioned as a target for commissioning the building, although the year was not specified in the information obtained.
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