The Federal Government has empowered no fewer than 700 young people in Oyo State with vocational skills, digital devices and business starter kits as part of concerted efforts to address unemployment and reduce poverty among youths in the country.
The empowerment programme, which climaxed with a graduation ceremony held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, saw the beneficiaries complete an intensive 10-day training designed to equip them with practical knowledge and tools needed to become self-reliant and economically productive.
The training was organised by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, an office saddled with the responsibility of driving the federal government’s agenda on skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development.
According to details of the programme, the training covered a wide range of contemporary and high-demand skill areas, including Artificial Intelligence, graphics design, makeup artistry, fashion design and other vocational and digital skills relevant in today’s economy.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, Dr. Abiola Arogundade, said the initiative was deliberately crafted to go beyond mere training and provide participants with sustainable means of livelihood.
Dr. Arogundade explained that the core objective of the programme is to equip young Nigerians with practical skills and the necessary tools to establish and grow their own businesses, rather than encouraging dependence on temporary palliatives and handouts that do not last.
She noted that the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu is committed to tackling the twin challenges of youth unemployment and poverty through skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and digital empowerment, which she described as critical pillars for national development.
According to her, the decision to include Artificial Intelligence and other digital skills in the training curriculum was informed by the need to prepare Nigerian youths for the global digital economy and to enable them compete favourably with their counterparts across the world.
The Presidential aide disclosed that the 700 beneficiaries were carefully selected from across Oyo State and were taken through rigorous theoretical and practical sessions facilitated by seasoned professionals and industry experts in their respective fields of training.
She added that beyond the 10-day intensive training, the beneficiaries will continue to enjoy mentorship and post-training support to ensure that they effectively utilise the skills and equipment provided to build successful and sustainable enterprises.
One of the major highlights of the graduation ceremony was the distribution of business starter kits and working tools to all the beneficiaries, aimed at enabling them to immediately put the skills acquired into practice without the burden of sourcing capital for equipment.
The items distributed included laptops for those trained in Artificial Intelligence and graphics design, sewing machines for fashion design trainees, professional makeup kits and boxes for makeup artistry beneficiaries, as well as digital tablets and other relevant tools.
Dr. Arogundade charged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the equipment given to them and not to sell them, warning that the essence of the empowerment would be defeated if the tools are disposed of for quick financial gains instead of being used to build businesses.
She stressed that the Federal Government has invested heavily in the programme because it believes in the potential of Nigerian youths to drive economic growth and innovation if given the right skills, support and enabling environment to thrive.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the event expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant for the opportunity, describing the training as life-changing and a stepping stone to financial independence.
They promised to utilise the knowledge and tools acquired to start their businesses, create jobs for others and contribute meaningfully to the economic development of Oyo State and Nigeria at large, rather than waiting for white-collar jobs.
Stakeholders present at the ceremony lauded the initiative, describing it as a timely and impactful intervention that addresses the root cause of youth restiveness and unemployment by providing practical solutions and not just rhetoric.
They also called on other states to emulate the model adopted by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on TVEE, noting that skills acquisition remains one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty and curb the rising rate of unemployment in the country.
Observers noted that the empowerment of 700 youths in Oyo State is part of a broader nationwide programme being rolled out by the Federal Government to train and empower thousands of young Nigerians across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The initiative is expected to have a multiplier effect on the local economy, as the newly empowered youths set up businesses that will not only support their families but also create additional employment opportunities for other residents of the state.
As the beneficiaries return to their various communities with new skills and starter kits, expectations are high that the programme will translate into tangible economic benefits and serve as a catalyst for youth entrepreneurship and sustainable development in Oyo State.
