YOUTHVILLE ISSUE #103
Friday, November 4, 2016
08078068532
youthville@dailytrust.com
...young at heart
‘Somebody had to avail these kids of better opportunities’ By Latifat Opoola (@LatifatOpoola)
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Taking care of children wasn’t originally my drive but I was travelling to one of the villages in Kaduna last year and our vehicle could not go further, so we came out and started trekking and before we knew it we were taking pictures of houses and out of the blue children started gathering, I then brought them together and started taking pictures of them and I noticed their fascination” Emana Imona who runs “I am a mom foundation” recollecting how she started. The 2016 YALI alumnus who had to rely on her guide to translate for her, since she could not speak Hausa she recounted how the kids were so excited to see themselves on the screen of her phone. Imona would later learn that the kids in the community barely went to school because the school closest to their village is miles away; hence they are not encouraged. “I began to ask the children what they want to become in future and, one told me he aspires to be gateman, and I felt like “come
on”. But I couldn’t blame them because that is the best they have seen and what they know” she told YOUTHVILLE. She then resolved to open the kids up to better opportunities by inspiring them, saying some of them don’t even think that they can go far in life from their background. She said the reminder for her was because she has passed through the stage (where she found the kids) and the fact that she left people back there was what pulled her to it. So, she began organizing excursions for the kids to cities and towns. “There is a point where you come out of a place of suffering and at the point that you think you have arrived, you begin to forget where you are coming from”. When she started the foundation last year, she began to understand that parents are even reluctant to release their kids to go to school because they think they have better use of those kids in the farms. So, we began a campaign to encourage parents to release these kids to school by using a tactics of empowering them with little portions of our land through our Agric scheme. “If you can’t pay school fees and are not working and your child is in school, w we give you a little portion
of the farm to generate some income and a portion of the proceed will go for the kids’ school fees,” she said. Imona who is running scholarship for 20 kids in school, 10 in Kaduna and 10 in Cross River said her challenge is the fact that she has just 17 hectares which she has distributed between 15 parents “that took a lot of convincing because the parents were asking me why I chose their community and if I don’t have poor people in my own village.” But with the help of community heads, Imona got parents to subscribe. She gives kids books and equally offers parents rice to get them to participate. She said this is very important for her to do because the kids need all the necessary inspiration they can get. I went to the US for the YALI trip and I met children of 19 years in congress, running offices, opening businesses and “I am 30 and my dreams aren’t as wide as theirs”. Imona who faulted the Nigerian system for not inspiring its young ones early enough said some wait until they are forty and what they aspire to be then is becoming politician. “So I run programs and invite people with grass to grace stories to inspire them; then we give them the necessary resources like buying them books, bags, pens and encourage them further”. She hopes in the next 5 years, at least 1000 kids should be running their own businesses through the opportunities the foundation provide for them.
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken – Oliver Wilde
Job creation: ‘There must be response from youth’ — Dalung By Olayemi John-Mensah The Minister, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sport (FMYS), Solomon Dalung has pledged to support the development of youths across the country. Dalung who made this known at a stakeholder meeting on youth employment in Abuja challenged Nigerians to invest in Nigerian youths to secure their future, adding that they are national asset and investment in them will give assurance for their future. He said the committee on youth employment should take a look on how to address the issue relating to the unemployment rate affecting youths in the country, adding that development is not a one-way traffic. “There must be response from the youth to know exactly what they want so that such can be put in place for their development.” Dalung said, insisting on job creation without knowing exactly what the youth wants will end up creating a square peg in a round hole. “We must do something before we leave and end this era of motion without action. We must also realize the danger ahead when the majority of youth that are unemployed will rise against the minority few. We must address the issue surrounding youth unemployment in the country.” The founder, Leap Africa, Ndidi Nwuneli in his presentation on addressing the challenges of youth unemployment through strategic crosssectoral collaboration said, the priority for youth today is to be employed while listing the driver of unemployment as; lack of jobs, lack of skills and experience, mismatch between supply and demand and other numerous barriers while explaining that the only solution is embedded in cross-sectoral partnership.
Rotary offers scholarship to 50 indigent students in Abuja Simeon E. Sunday @SimonEchewofun As part of its basic education and literacy area of focus, the Rotary Club of Abuja Gwarinpa has offered scholarship to fifty indigent students in Abuja. The students drawn from Junior Secondary School, Gwarinpa Village have been on the Club’s three year scholarship scheme. President of the Club, Angela Agbayekhai, who spoke at the handover ceremony for this year’s scholarship programme, noted that though education was free in Abuja, many students find it difficult to pay some fees like the Parents Teachers Association ( PTA) and other related administrative charges. This year’s scholarship, she explained, also covered certain costs associated with the Junior Secondary School 3 examination, books, among others. She explained how some of the children had to drop out of school because of charges as low as N1,000. She noted: “We took it upon ourselves to cater for their academic needs based on the fact that during one of our visits to the school about three years ago, it was observed that some children were sent home for not being able to pay a token of one thousand, two thousand Naira, among others. The Principal of the school, Mrs Uwem Idiok, praised Rotary for being consistent with its promise for the past three years. She recalled that the Club has previously provided a borehole facility to provide water to the school.
DAILY TRUST, Friday, November 4, 2016
YOUTHVILLE
Veteran Actor Zulu Adigwe to youth: ‘You have to be your own driver in life’ Bamas Victoria @BamasVictoria
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eneficiaries of Dazzle Furniture Limited’s scholarship programme were given a motivation and entrepreneurship talk by veteran actor Zulu Adigwe to commemorate their first month in training. Earlier in October, the furniture company had kickstarted a carpentry training progamme with the award of scholarship to 20 young Nigerians selected from across the country. Speaking to the students, the veteran actor told them to be creative so as to paint their names on the world map. He said, “You need to have an idea that will create something. Have a style and be self-reliant. Do not depend on anybody but believe in yourself and what you can do. Do not give room for anybody to kill your dream. You have to be your own driver in life and if help comes, you embrace it. But above all, be in charge.” Speaking on the relationship between acting and carpentry, the 80’s Basi and Company TV star who learnt carpentry from his grandfather said “Carpenters are needed in acting to perform various roles. Set designers are also carpenters
and such knowledge can be used to transform the theatre or the set properly.” The co-founder of Dazzle Furniture, Oji Chukwuemeka Donoji said “Bringing Zulu to our workshop is for him to tell us how creative he has been and how the work has been for him so far. And for him to encourage us in our own field, for us to imbibe and help our passion move forward.” he clarified. He called on government at all level to assist organizations like his who are giving back to the society by empowering the youths. “We want government to come to our aid and support the programme
that we are doing. The states and local governments could also partner with us to train people from those regions who would in turn go back to their various localities and be productive.” One of the trainees, Osuji Innocent, told YOUTHVILLE that he is a cinematography but took Dazzle scholarship to experience other fields. Another trainee, Idoko Blessed Adamu, said he is a trained administrator but also like entrepreneurship. He added that the programme provides him with “opportunity to stand out and contribute to the society”.
HACKS: Things not to do as a fresh undergraduate By now, admission list of most universities and tertiary institutions across Nigeria is out. Congratulations if you made the list. You’re now the newest and of course, the freshest student on campus! Here are some few pointers to help you get by as a new student. Call them life hacks, if you want. 1. Do not forget your primary purpose: The university is a place to discover one’s self. It’s a place you invent and re-invent yourself. Do not forget all that it took to get you there. Never forget God and your parents. 2. Do not be disorganised: Time management is very crucial to all students, not only freshers. Design your
own flexible timetable. Be at the venue of your lectures on time, so as not to get locked out or miss seats. Have your full attendance in class. Take notes, for it helps to keep focus in class. Form a study group. Be prompt in doing your assignments. Take your Continuous Assessments (CA) very seriously. 3. Do not follow the crowd: As the popular adage goes, “to go nowhere, follow the crowd”. Be yourself, understand why you’re in school and shine. There are tonnes of distractions in school ranging from cool hang out spots, to ladies/ gentlemen and many more. 4. Do not make too many friends:
Life as a fresh student tends to be a tad lonely because you’re in a new environment. You need to socialize a little but keep a small circle of friends. Too many friends would keep you distracted and you might end up being Mr/Miss Popular in probation at the end of the session. 5. Do not assume you know it all: People hate know-italls. It’s annoying and sometimes, out-rightly rude to rub it in people’s face. Make your opinions heard and respected, but do not try to outshine everyone, including your lecturers. Written by Yunusa Salim Ibrahim, 500L URP ABU Zaria
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Recession: Nigeria must give premium to youths – Bankole Text from Kehinde Olufowobi, Lagos The former speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole has said that Nigerian economy can not be revitalised if the youth are not brought on board. Bankole, who was a guest speaker at the 5th anniversary lecture of Ijebu News Xtra Magazine held in Ijebu Ode at the weekend, also said that for the economy to be revived, government needs to make some drastic changes, harness local resources, which are abundant in the country. The former speaker spoke on the theme ‘Ogun State: Stimulating Youths Entrepreneurship Potential In A Recessive Economy’. He noted that if “we are going to stimulate entrepreneurship in our youth, we must start early, we must start young, and we must go back to the classroom.” “If our youth are not exposed to innovation and entrepreneurship, then how can we expect this from them? If they are not taught to see opportunities and take advantage of them, then why would they do so? It is a sorry state of affairs that in
We have been so blinded by the wealth of the oil industry and the relative ease of buying and selling, that we fail to see opportunities today’s Nigeria, our youth are unable to identify the natural resources native to their communities and states. “We have been so blinded by the wealth of the oil industry and the relative ease of buying and selling, that we fail to see opportunities,” he noted. He added that one of the limiting factors in promoting entrepreneurship are the barriers to entry for new businesses, saying that government must reduce the hoops through which new business owners must jump.
IWPR engages youths with skills through mentoring and training Text by Eseohe Ebhota @EbhotaEseohe The Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) has said its Open Minds Nigeria project is a programme which it initiated to engage youths in schools and vocational centres with skills through mentoring, training, as well as reaching the broader population of Nigerian youths through public debate and substantial media outputs. This was made known to YOUTHVILLE during a visit to Daily Trust Headquarters, Abuja. “The project uses tools of civic education, instruction
in critical thinking, media production and public debate to help young people navigate their own way to positive futures” says IWPR’s Project Officer, Ann Iyonu, who represented the Project Manager, Adeolu Kilanko. She explained that the aim of the visit of one of the participating schools, Government Secondary School (GSS) Mabushi, Abuja to Daily Trust’s Head Office in Abuja is for them to “experience firsthand the inner workings of a media organisation, and also provide them the opportunity to interact with media personnel”.
‘You only live once, but if you do it right once is enough’ – Mae West