YOUTHVILLE TRUST
ISSUE #66
...young at heart
Friday, February 19, 2016
We don’t have shops, so we hang around for jobs — Abuja labourers
I’m living my self-reliance dream, says shoemaker, Olakunle Text by Latifat Opoola @LatifatO @LatifatOpoola
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ight from my undergraduate days und have always longed I ha to be self employed and I met this o opportunity in the busi shoe business, the CEO of Coonley V Ventures, Tijani O Habeeb Olakunle has told YOUTHVI YOUTHVILLE. In a rece recent interview, the graduate of Mathematics from the Univ Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta said he supplies corporate shoes through different channels while combinin combining it with plantain
Fact: ‘Knowing your HIV status, not a death penalty’
31 >>
farming. Olakunle said he started the business to keep himself busy after graduation. Although he started the business with no capital, the former student union leader said he was determined to move on first, with the marketing business. “What I did was I advertised a particular shoe online, when a customer shows interest, I get the shoe size and take to my cobbler to make for me. When he is done I take the shoes and deliver them to my client, he pays me on delivery,” he said. When the shoe business picked up, Olakunle said he had to learn the art of shoe making and shortly after, the
young entrepreneur began making shoes himself. His major challenge is having access to more funds for expansion as poor capital has caused some losses to him since he would have to forfeit some deals with high material costs. With the efforts so far, Olakunle said he makes relative profits from the business adding that “in a week I make about N4,000, if I get funds I could make much more than that.” He urged students to learn more about entrepreneurship so they can stand alone after graduation. “Be patient, start small, never relent, and be prayerful in what you do,” were his words to Nigerian youth.
Abuja’s Valentine’s Night of the Spoken Word 31 >>
YOUTHVILLE Friday, February 19, 2016 Page 30
REFLECTIONS We don’t have shops, so we hang around for jobs — Abuja labourers Walking and mixing freely with other commuters, they may be mistaken for passengers about to board a taxi in the heart of Abuja City. Nay! They are a labourers only hanging around the road sides praying to mother luck for a customer to alight for a daily job.
Text by Simon E. Sunday @SimonEchewofun
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his is the clear story of the many unskilled labourers hanging around the Mabushi, Wuse Zone 4, Nyanya Checkpoint, Apo and other areas in Abuja, the nation’s capital. Some of them who spoke with YOUTHVILLE said they have maintained these places as their havens for long because they do not have capacity to own their shops. There is also no known public building where unskilled workers could be contracted at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), they maintained. With a major population of mostly youths (males) between ages 18 and 35 years, and some exceptional advanced adults, the unskilled labour forum cuts across several sections in the construction field including, bricklaying/plastering, plumbing/fitting, electrical, painting, excavation/digging, carpentering among others. The quest for employment and self-reliance for these young adults have been their driving force as they gather around to chat while waiting for their daily stars to shine. The 2012 National Baseline Youth Survey Report showed that there was 52.2 million youth aged youth 18 – 35. Youth unemployment was a top agenda at the 2015 World Economic Forum in Davos. Experts including Aliko
Dangote, and Mr. Dominic Barton, Global Managing Director, McKinsey & Company, global consultancy firm said world unemployment rate stands at 75 per cent, while it is up to 50 per cent in Nigeria. They called for deliberate plans to reduce the rate as failure may lead to much more burdened economy. Clutching to his digger with amazing expertise, Abdulmalik Bello, 26, from Kano at the Zone 4 hangout said it was the best thing to do rather than staying idle. “We come here by 6:00am hoping to get customers who would call us to dig foundation, water channels or even plastering. After 10:00am, we walk around in groups searching for where construction work is ongoing to get a daily wage job,” he explained. Among those who spoke at the Nyanya Checkpoint area, Bayo Ojo in his early 30s does mason works. He said they do get customers but not on a daily basis. He said, “Sometimes when you get some jobs, it could cover for your one week of hanging there. People patronise us because our prices are good and we deliver well hoping to be called next time.” At the Mabushi area of Abuja, Sunday Okeh who is into electrical fitting said they choose to stay there the site is popular, close to the Wuse market, and so customers could drive from far
and near to get a labourer. John Bobbai, a carpenter urged the government and relevant authorities to think of providing a designated area for them to thrive just like the Mechanic Village and Spare Part Dealers Spot in Apo, and the Quarry site in Mpape. “It will help us a lot because where we are now in the open, we are expose to all the elements, come rain come shine but then, since we have no shops, we just have to hang around to get a job-of-the-day,” Bobbai noted.
Backpack Abuja public school reigns at entrepreneur contest Text by Chidimma C. Okeke Junior Secondary School Airport Abuja has received the Child and Youth Finance International (CYFI) award for emerging the winner of the 2015 Youth Financial Inclusion Innovation category competition in London. The school entrepreneurship club through an online application for their project tagged ‘MONEY MAKER’, a financial literacy mobile app known as SKYENTREPRENEURS, was adjudged the best out of the numerous entries all over the world. The Coordinator of the School’s entrepreneurship club, Akinfolarin Babatunde in a statement said SKYENTREPRENEURS was represented by the team captain Aminat Abdulsamad who received the award, December 2015 in London.
Canada seeks support 275 students got our education scholarships in 2015 — NGO forTextyouth from Nurudeen Oyewole, Text by Princess Onyinye Nnamani
Babatunde said the app won the best Entrepreneurship project at the last SAGE competition in FCT Abuja. The school emerged the best in entrepreneurship project with their computer game, Game of Life in the maiden edition of CYFI competition which held in Istanbul, Turkey in 2013. CYFI is a Netherland based NGO focused on youth financial inclusion and literacy and organizes annual award ceremonies every year since 2013 to recognise outstanding projects in line with financial inclusion and literacy. The team captain, Amina said the Money Maker mobile app teaches people, particularly youth, about savings, investment, starting small scale businesses, measurement of profit and loss and general business principles.
A non-governmental organization, Refocusing Nigerians Talents Organization (RENITO) has said it offered scholarships to 275 students in universities, colleges of education, and the information technology last year. In a statement, the firm said 51 students benefited from its ESPAM Formation University, 102 students got that of College of Education while 102 benefitted from the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) segment. The Abuja-based firm said it has been engaging in free medical talks and
treatment to 1502 persons while giving loans to host communities, Zamani and Abimon Cooperative club in Gwagwalada, near Abuja. Recounting more of their achievements in 2015, RENITO said they trained and empowered Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the physically challenged, prostitutes and widows on being self-employed. Speaking about their focus in the new year, RENITO said it seeks more support as it has the capacity to train up to 1.5 million youth and the vulnerable on skills in agricultures and small businesses.
Lagos
To drive entrepreneurship among Nigerian youths, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Perry John Calderwood has said it has plans to facilitate partnerships between Canadian Colleges with Nigerian schools on technical and vocational education (TVE). Calderwood while speaking at the 2016 Canada Education Fair in Lagos said the countries’ relationship could be strengthened more through research and TVE, capable of stimulating young Nigerians to innovate and be self-reliant. He said: “Figures from Canadian immigration authority show that in 2014, 8600 Nigerians were studying in Canada; these numbers have grown rapidly from just over 800 in 2002.” About 40 Canadian Colleges and Universities participated in this year edition of the annual education fair.
Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect – Zoey Sayward
SHOWTIME
HEALTHNEWS>>
YOUTHVILLE Friday, February 19, 2016
Page 31
ENTERTAINMENTNEWS>>
Abuja’s Valentine’s Night of the spoken word Text by Victoria Bamas @sinach360
Female GENITAL MUTILATION
violates human rights — Experts
Text by Victoria Onehi
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xperts in human rights and gender knowledge have described the act of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) done in parts of Nigeria as a violation of human rights. One of them, a gender expert with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Nkiru Igbelina-Igbokwe spoke in commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) held on February 6th. She said: “When a part of your body is removed you are deprived of that part. The genitals are restructured and
deprived the individual of sexual satisfaction.” About 19.9 million women in Nigeria have been mutilated; that is 25 per cent of Nigerian women, the National Demographic Health Survey 2013 reports. Female genital mutilation (FGM) also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the female external genitalia for nonmedical reasons. Pointers to the thriving of FGM in some parts is linked with the myth that it stops young girls from becoming promiscuous or that it is
beneficial to children’s health. Another expert, Dr Christopher Ugboko, Head of Gender, Adolescence and Elderly at the Federal Ministry of Health said victims could have like Vesico vaginal fistula (VVF) and other infections. At least 13 states have legislation against FGM but prosecution of suspects is “not the way they should be,” said Zainab Bagudu, wife of Kebbi state Governor. The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari while launching a national response to eliminate the practice and joint campaign to end it by 2030 called for the prosecution of people who still practice it.
Fact: ‘Knowing your HIV status, not a death penalty’ Text by Victoria Bamas @sinach360
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he Abuja site coordinator for AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Dr. Kema Onu has said for people to know their HIV status is not a death sentence. Speaking recently while distributing 500,000 condoms and conducting free HIV test at a programme to mark the Valentine’s Day said “People are now coming out freely to get
tested; formerly there used to be palpable tension… but now there is awareness that HIV is not a death sentence. The main thing was to distribute condoms and encourage people to use it as a viable means of preventing HIV; but abstinence he said is still the safest way of not getting infected. The international day is commemorated every February13th to raise awareness on how to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
FASHIONNEWS>> Stay classy in wide-legged trousers Text by Eseohe Ebhota @sleek_diva88
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nother fashion item other than the skinny trouser has hit the fashion scene: The wide-legged trousers! But then where can this fashion piece be worn to? The office: The need to look corporate in various offices may propel the wearing of this trouser with a well-ironed female shirt and suit. One thing: Use the right pair of accessories (This includes wrist watches, earrings,
bracelets/bangles). Cocktail parties: This can also serve as a beautiful outfit for a cocktail party. It doesn’t have to be a gown as some might reason. When it is worn with any classy top, stunning piece of jewelry such chandelier earrings and perhaps a flat shoe or beautiful heels. Weekend trips: Planning a weekend getaway? Well, don’t forget to include a pair or two of these beautiful trousers while packing. You might also want to go shopping, get free on the new style.
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oetry writers, fans and lovers were treated to a “Night of the spoken word” in Abuja to commemorate the valentine’s day celebration. The event which was put together by renowned performance poet Dike Chukwumerije was held at the Abuja National Centre for Women Development and all performances were centered around the theme of “Love.” Dike who said he hopes to give performance poetry a pride of place in Nigeria literary and entertainment industry told fans to expect an encore in October as they hope to commemorate the Independence Day
celebration. The event had dance routines that were choreographed to poems, children performers; poems performed to the strumming of the guitars and much more creative performance and had attendance from notable persons in the literary and entertainment industry.
FOODNEWS>>
Meal greetings from Western Nigeria Text by Eseohe Ebhota @sleek_diva88
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ith the beautiful meals in Nigeria, One cannot help but lick his tongue at the sight of these delicacies. The YOUTHVILLE food train berthed in the South West to ‘taste and see’ how some of their meals look like. We present them to you. Efo Riro: This is a rich vegetable soup which originated from Yorubaland has become a delicacy in almost every Nigerian home. Made from vegetables such as water leaves and pumpkin leaves rich in vitamins, it is a delight to many. Ewa Agoyin: Ewa Agonyi simply means plain boiled beans eaten with pepper sauce. It is a very delicious delicacy common among Yorubas and eaten more with soft bread,
Efo Riro
Ewedu
yam a and fried pl plantains. Ewa Agoyin Ewedu s o u p : T h o u g h it originated from the South - West, but it is increasingly being appreciated by other ethnic groups. It is easy to prepare and it takes less time to prepare.
Words Barn promoting Relationships tutor, app goes online Fund to develop the portal. Text by Judd-Leonard youthful learning In a few mouse clicks, the Okafor @judd_leonard Text by Simon E. Sunday @SimonEchewofun
Words Barn App is promoting learning among youth and students as more key into the platform accessible online via google playstore, the designer, Racheal Ejoke has said. The app launched November 2015 in Abuja is an Edu-social App suitable for children and youth. The inclusion of the ONLINE GIST creates room for recess in between the competition. Players can also contest among themselves by scoring high in spellings among others.
An online portal, ‘Dasubjectmatter went live Tuesday to help young people learn about their relationships, their bodies and health. It hopes to use mobile technology to improve young people’s health by connecting them to “medically accurate, culturally sensitive health information with a human rights and gender equality perspective,” said ThankGod Okosun, of the Planned Parenthood Federation America, which worked with the United Nations Population
portal also links young people to more than 130 health centres throughout Nigeria where they can get youthfriendly services. One of every three active mobile subscription belong to someone aged 15 to 24, and 81 per cent of people aged under 21 who own a cell phone report they sleep with their phones next to them, he said. Despite huge internet penetration among Nigeria’s young, developers are concerned that many young people often face stigma and other challenges.
Healthy citizens are the greatest assets any country can have – Winston Churchill