When the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu government came on board and his cabinet was inaugurated, there were hues and cries from Nigerian youths over perceived exclusion. However, with the appointment of Ayodele Olawande as the minister of state for youths, President Tinubu fulfilled his promise to carry the youths, who constitute over 60% of the nation’s population, along. His choice for Olawande was greeted with wild jubilation across the country.
The new minister, who hails from Ondo state, is a household name not only in his state but also the country at large. The Tinubu administration will find him fully prepared and capable to deliver on its renewed hope agenda to Nigerian youths. His performances in the previous assignments proved his track record of hardwork and services delivery.
Since the inauguration of the Tinubu presidency on May 29, 2023, Nigerian youths have been wondering how the administration would solve their challenges such as unemployment, consumption of hard drugs, crime, japa syndrome, thuggery, etc. They also raised the question of how government will leverage on sports to deal with the menace of youth unemployment. This is borne out of the fact that the promotion of sports will explore and harness the talents of Nigerian youths.
Sports alone can take away over 30 million youths off the streets and open incredible economic opportunities for individual excellence and national development. Sports can be the immediate saving grace from the twin evils of mass unemployment and insecurity in Nigeria. This is what the new minister plans to do when inaugurated and settles in office.
Olawande is passionate and committed to sports and other youth related development activities which will empower Nigerian youths to become self-reliant and socially responsible. The Federal Ministry of Youths is responsible for formulating and implementing the national youth policy, youth development programmes, funding youth activities, youth participation, and managing the National Youth Services Corps, NYSC, and the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre.
Looking at the statutory mandate of the ministry, the state minister of youths, Ayodele Olawande, will do his utmost best to implement the ministry’s policies such as focusing on enterprises development, vocational skills and training, youth voice, employment and education.
This is in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr President, which is anchored on youths development and empowerment. President Tinubu has repeatedly assured Nigerian youth that his administration will give them top priority and fully engage them for national development. With Olawande in the youth ministry, the Tinubu agenda for Nigerian youth is achievable.
Therefore, Olawande sees the role of the youth in national development as sacrosanct to the whole development aspiration of any society. The youth in any society are the engine of growth and development; because they provide the labour force for the production of goods and services.
The youth are also critical stakeholders in nation building, whose action and inaction can develop or destroy the fabrics of our society. Given their strategic role, the youth have the greater responsibility to promote peace, security, stability and national unity through their active involvement in the democratic process, build bridges of understanding across ethnic groups, political affiliations and religious divide. That is why, under his watch as minister of youths, Nigerian youth will be given a great sense of belonging.
The minister designate, Olawande, is a community development expert and youth leader in the governing All Progressives Congress, APC. He served in the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Innovation from 2019 to 2023. He was born on April 8, 1989, in Akure, Ondo state.
He attended Christ School and the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state. Olawande proceeded to the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo state. He ventured into business before delving into politics. He is the founder of the Action Youth Movement (AYM) and the ICT director for Ondo APC. Olawande is the coordinator of the All Progressive Youth Forum (APYF) in Ondo state and also a general administrator at The Way Project.
Abdu writes from Pambegua, Kaduna state via 08033651634
