The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has urged Nigerian youths to take advantage of available government programmes and opportunities instead of waiting for the government or other people to create their future for them.
Olawande made the call on Thursday at the inauguration of a book titled No More Future: Why Waiting Is Over, What to Build Instead, written by young Nigerian author Christopher Olusa. The event was held at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Dotun Omoleye, the minister said Nigeria’s greatest asset was not its natural resources but the potential of its young people.
He said the country does not lack potential but sometimes lacks the collective courage among young people to stop waiting and begin building.
According to Olawande, the era of waiting for the government to “fix things before building” or waiting for the right connections before starting is over.
He encouraged young Nigerians to make use of opportunities provided through government policies and programmes, while taking personal responsibility for their development.
The minister said the Renewed Hope Agenda had created opportunities for young people and that what they did with those opportunities would determine the future they eventually created.
He noted that the Ministry of Youth Development would continue to provide platforms, capital and training, but emphasised that young people themselves must take the initiative to build their future.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the House Committee on Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Ifeoluwa Ehindero, said the book challenged the mindset of waiting for perfect circumstances before taking action.
Ehindero urged young Nigerians to deliberately create the future they want rather than waiting for government, employment opportunities or someone else to discover them.
The event therefore focused on encouraging young Nigerians to become more proactive in developing their skills, businesses and careers while making use of available opportunities.
Olawande’s message comes amid continued concerns over youth unemployment and economic hardship in Nigeria. His appeal is that young people should combine government support with personal initiative rather than depend entirely on government intervention.
The minister maintained that the responsibility for building Nigeria’s future cannot rest solely on government, saying young Nigerians have an important role to play in shaping the country’s next chapter.
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