YOUTHVILLE ISSUE #160
Friday, December 8, 2017
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youthville@dailytrust.com
No need risking your lives travelling abroad, Nigerian youth told By Latifat Opoola @LatifatOpoola Nigerian youth have been warned to stop risking their lives in the quest to travel abroad through unsafe means to pursue non-existent greener pastures. The Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe stated this in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja recently. Runsewe who decried the latest development in Libya where Africans including Nigerians are
being auctioned for sale, said slavery in whatever form has no place in this modern era. The DG urged Nigerians to support government in its bid to make lives better noting that there were indicators suggesting that the economy was improving. “More importantly, let us endeavour to continually be our brother’s keeper as that is the true African culture and spirit which is always exemplified by love, generosity, peaceful co-existence and good neighbourliness,” he said.
...young at heart
Your lifetime is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. – Steve Job
Agribusiness: Youth can start with little capital — Matazu Zaharadeen Hussaini Matazu is a graduate of Local Government and Development Studies from the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Kaduna state. He found a space in the agriculture business and started his ’Halicks Nigeria Limited’. He shares his experiences and challenges in this interview with YOUTHVILLE. By Mansur Abubakar
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griculture is said to be despised by our youth. Why did you choose it? I will say it is both meticulous planning and fate that brought me into agriculture. Before I graduated, I thought of starting something considering the unemployment situation in Nigeria, and I luckily achieved
that. At Halicks Nigeria Ltd, we sell fertilizers and offer consultancy services on agriculture related issues. Was it the government’s promotion of agriculture that influenced your business decision? Exactly! If you observe, you’ll see that things are changing especially here in the North where everybody seem to have been reinvigorated
Promasidor offers career guidance for Lagos youth From Nurudeen Oyewole, Lagos Promasidor Nigeria Limited, a household manufacturing firm has launched a Career Guidance Initiative for secondary school students to boost career awareness among them. The Managing Director, Mr Anders Einarsson at the launch and maiden guidance workshop at Oregun Junior High School, said the programme would help the students to marry their passion and talents to make the right choice. Tagged: ‘Harness Your Dream’, the programme targets JSS 3 students where sensitive decisions into the senior classes are often made. He said: “It is a catchthem-young scheme. This implies that the young people who go through
the process will have the rare opportunity of subjecting their options to a clinical test before they start learning the essential subjects required to be the best in their chosen professions.” The Permanent Secretary/Tutor General, Lagos State Education District Six, Mrs Olufunmilayo Onadipe at the launch called on other firms to emulate Promasidor’s initiative. She said, “I am very excited about the initiative. We need to nurture the kids as they grow. It is about catching them young. When we help them to nurture their career interests, they grow up with a clear picture of what they want to do. I pray that other companies will extend similar gesture to our pupils.”
Red Star gives scholarship to 9 students From Abdullateef Aliyu, Lagos Red Star Foundation has given scholarship to nine students from four schools in Oshodi Local Government Area of Lagos state. The 14th edition of the scholarship event by Red Star Express Plc which also had some mentors appointed to guide the scholars, was to give back to the society and support education in Nigeria, the Group Managing Director, Sola Obabori said. Obabori said: “As an organisation we believe in improving the lives of those who cannot pay for high quality education.” The annual programme
which started in 2004 is organized in collaboration with Oshodi Local Government, the Schools’ Officials and University of Lagos Consult. “We have 140 students who have gone through this programme and have also graduated from the university. That is some inspiration for us that many more people can participate and enjoy the little that we offer,” he added. Chairman Board of Trustees of the Foundation, Mr Tonye Preghafi said the firm is contributing its quota through the scholarship to improve educational standards.
when it comes to farming. This government has shown that it is serious about the sector considering measures and structures that have been put in place so far and others yet to come. This made me and many others to join the business because more people are going back to farm and they will need more fertilisers and consultancy services. Do you have any regret on your choice of business? I don’t have any regret at all. I’m enjoying every moment of the journey so far and in sha Allah, things will get better with time as one gets more experience as time goes by. What would you say to other youth on this business? My advice is that, they must be disciplined because without that one wouldn’t go anywhere not only in this line of business but any other one. They should not also wait for a huge capital before starting off. They can start with as little as possible and with efforts and meticulous planning and strategizing, they will reach the top. In essence, capital can be small but with the right spirit and determination, one can go very far.
Igbinedion varsity: My mum inspires me to reach the peak, says best graduate From Usman A. Bello, Benin Jennifer Confidence Jennifer, 20, became the best graduate of the Igbinedion University, Okada in Edo state after a lot of study days, she said. Jennifer who is also the best graduate from the department of International Relation Studies made the feat scoring a 4.89 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). In an interview with the Daily Trust on the secret to her success, the young brain said hard work, preparation and constant reading were keys to her achievement. My mum motivated me through school I have a mother who has love for education but couldn’t get a higher education. Till now she still has that interest and zeal to go back to school. So, when I got admission, I sat down and thought of it, if mother at her age still has that interest of going to school why can't I perform excellently in my academic and other activities in school to make her proud. So that was my major motivation. How preparation, dedication earned me the scores The first secret is the grace of God because He owns everything, after that, preparation through handwork, dedication, constant
reading and attending classes. I don’t miss lectures because if you miss any, even if you read the topic, you may only get one side of it. Listening helps you to get all sides and be well informed ahead of any examination; so I never missed class one day. My life on campus In my 100 and 200 levels I didn't bother about social life and activities on campus because I needed to establish my stand with a particular CGPA or grade level. I knew going for social activities earlier could be detrimental to my success pursuits. From 300 level, my social life on campus improved a little but it was still reading and reading with a routine that is, ‘from hostel to lecture hall and back to hostel’. My reading, hard work earned me 4 awards I won four awards as best graduate in the school and department and two others. I won the highest numbers of awards this year. My view about the university Iginedion University is the best private university in Nigeria as it gives students
the opportunity to get the best education, meet different people. It is helping us establish ourselves to becoming a better person in life for our family and country. If you’re a student, double up! I have often advised other students and youth, especially those who are not doing well academically to double up. This is because the competition is very tough outside the campus and they need to equip themselves with good grades, first.
DAILY TRUST, Friday, December 8, 2017
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YOUTHVILLE
Why I started Instant Apartment for tourists, travellers — Ubi By Opeyemi Kehinde, @kennysous
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ith its ever-growing population and its attraction as the commercial capital of Nigeria, getting a good accommodation in Lagos has always been a challenge. However, one young Nigerian with passion for meeting people’s housing needs is
tackling this challenge. The CEO of Instant Apartment, Mr Ubi Franklin said accommodation seekers in Lagos, including travellers and tourists, can now enjoy a wide range of luxury services to make their stay memorable. Speaking at the launch in Lagos, Ubi said: “It’s also an avenue for property owners to advertise their properties to customers across the globe. Apartments on our platforms are carefully selected and the hosts are thoroughly verified to provide the best accommodations.” The web-based platform, which provides short, medium and long stay property rental, allows users to search for shortlet apartments and connect them with verified real estate hosts as well as property owners looking to monetize their selfowned apartments. He said he denied himself a lot of comfort “to give customers memorable comfort,” adding that he ventured into the business to make houses availability “while people pay less for more.” Ubi said the company offers free pickup from the airport, free meal on arrival, provision of a car and chauffeur for mobility, free Wi-Fi, 24 hours uninterrupted power supply, swimming pool, 24/7 security, cable TV, among others.
‘25m disabled Nigerians lack access to public places’ By Simon Echewofun Sunday About 25 million Nigerians still lack access to public places and infrastructures, the Executive Director of the Centre for Citizens with Disability (CCD), Mr David Anyaele has said. David Anyaele who disclosed this week at the Disability Awareness Week (DAW) 2017 in Abuja, also said: “Over 80 per cent of them are in the rural areas without social infrastructures and there is no federal government that is targeted at People living with Disabilities (PWD).”
Mr Anyaele who is also disabled said over 99.5 per cent of public places and facilities are deliberately not accessible to them and that it was part of what the Nigeria Disability Bill at the National Assembly seeks to enforce. “The bill does not allow the discrimination against the disabled while compelling government to provide free education to those affected and provide other social amenities for them as it is done in other climes including Ghana where the interests of the disabled people are well protected,”
Anyaele said citing its potential impact. However, CCD said the bill has suffered delay in its transmission to the Presidency for assent. He said the previous National Assembly had passed the bills but the two administrations then did not grant assent to the bill which has stayed for over eight years. He noted that one year after the present eighth National Assembly (NASS) harmonised the bill on December 6, 2016, it has not been transmitted to the Presidency for assent and that the harmonized bill could not be found for transmission.
Pageantry: Goodwill Ambassador crowns new queen today Pageantry By Bamas Victoria @BamasVictoria The 2017 edition of Miss Goodwill Ambassador Nigeria (MGAN) pageant is set to hold this evening at Sheraton Hotel Abuja. The pageant organiser, Mr Chris Odey said MGAN pageantry is focused on
humanitarian services, as such height and weight restrictions do not apply. Speaking to YOUTHVILLE, the camp coordinator Emma Bricks Oko said six out of 18 participants will be crowned as queens for the national and regional levels. He explained that the
contestants had a week long residential camp where they were taught, on etiquettes, stage presence, catwalk, choreography and so on. “Whoever is crowned will have to carry out projects that have humanitarian value and give succour to the less privileged,” he explained.
Eradicating HIV/AIDS feasible — AHF By Bamas Victoria @bamasvictoria AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has said that eradicating HIV and AIDS in Nigeria by the year 2030 is feasible if all hands are on board. The foundation’s Abuja coordinator Dr Kema Onu, speaking during a sensitization campaign along major streets in Abuja, as part of activities to mark the 2017 world AIDS said “If everybody contributes its quota, by 2030, Nigeria will be able to eradicate HIV/ AIDS”. He called on relevant authorities to adopt and make adequate commitment to ensure effective implementation of HIV and AIDS anti-stigma and discrimination Act across the country. Onu said: “First day of December has been set aside by United Nations for
commemoration of the disease, worldwide. And all of us must work together to combat the virus by 2030.” “Yearly, we test and counsel people, while giving condoms to some so as to prevent the spread of the virus, with the aim of ending HIV/AIDS pandemic by 2030. He explained that the organization was talking with government and other key stakeholders on the need to increase funding for HIV/AIDS programmes in Nigeria. He said in 2016, over 12 billion dollars was donated to HIV/AIDS campaigns through the Global Fund. A member of Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Gloria Asukwo Ogodo, said government needed to do more to place the millions of persons living with the disease who are yet to be placed on treatment.
Reggae Music Festival: Abuja residents commend organisers A cross section of residents in the Federal Capital Territory FCT, have commended the organisers of `Abuja Reggae Festival’ for the re-awakening of that genre of music among fans. In a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report this week at the festival, resident Timothy Idoko said he was impressed with the entertainment displayed by the various artistes. “We are only use to cultural carnivals here but this the first time we are having this kind of event in Abuja and its fun all the way,” he said.
Miss Loveth Ugochukwu also at the event said she was beginning to fall in love with reggae music. “I love every bit of the festival. I never knew reggae music had good rhythm and messages. However, we are catching our fun,” she said. The organiser of the event, Muffy Dred said, the essence of the festival was to give Abuja residence reggae vibes. “Raggae is missing in the FCT; Reggae music is played only on radio and not all the time. So I decided to bring it live for its lover to have a feel and appreciate.
“This is the first of its kind in Abuja, and we will move on with it and make it a regular event,” he said. The Manager of Green View Garden, Mr Obinna Nnaji where it was held said the festival was aimed at `resuscitating’ reggae music in Abuja. “We are trying to make it every Monday. I mean we will be playing only reggae music in the garden every Monday,” he said. Some of the performing artistes at the reggae night were Sam P, from Jos, Spetter, and Empress from Lagos, among others.
I would rather die of passion than h off b boredom d - Vincent Van Gogh h