YOUTHVILLE ISSUE #157
Friday, November 17, 2017 08078068532
youthville@dailytrust.com
...young at heart
I trained to become the best in Adire, Batik designing — Babangida
Jibril Babangida is an entrepreneur and the Creative Director of ‘U and I Africa Clothings’. The fabric designer who has been training others since 2009 shares his experience with the Daily Trust recently in Osun state. By Hussaini Garba Mohammed
H
ow did you earn yourself a name in this field? I started my journey into this career when I benefitted from a World Bank Initiative: Science and Technology Post-Basic Project (STEP-B PROJECT) in September 2009. I emerged the Best Trainee at the Adire and Batik Training session. I leveraged on this in October 2009 by acquiring advanced knowledge at the Fine Arts Department, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ife, in Osun state. By December 2009, I started training p e o p l e , producing and selling the fabrics, a n d creating a future for myself. H o w wide
would you want to expand your designing business? I am very passionate about the promotion of the local fabrics. But before I even thinking about my products to get across the borders, there’s a strong need to ensure that the item is accepted locally by both the led and the leaders. It is one of the few ways that we can create a unique cultural identity for ourselves, boost revenue generation and create more employment. We are about 200 million in population in Nigeria, if just 1% of the entire Nigeria people can patronize us daily, that’s a huge business success already. abou the promotion What do you think about of youth in government in the West African sub region? Investing in youth is th the secret behind o the developed the success of majority of countries. a Insurgency and other antith unemployed social vices that y uth are constantly yo con youth engaged res of negligence in are as a result pa of the African on the part Leaders Leaders. However with proper capacity bu building on le leadership skills and business conscience, the youth will definitely make the best o out of this ITbased generation. The youth have always complained of gov not being included in governance. Why is it so? The youth will always complain when the government have n neglected them t in areas that are dear to their future. For mu blessed with example, Nigeria is so much talented young men and women across all industries. However, we have lost
uncountable number talented Athletes due to inadequate support and attention. It is because these athletes do not have the proper external motivation or means to travel abroad to flourish. The youth have rights to get angry with their government because they are not protected in their policies. What are the types of cloths you design? Adire (Tie and Dye) and Batik fabrics production are my areas of Specialty. This Brand of fabric can be creatively used to design any kind of clothing, from casual to corporate, from wears to art decorations. What’s the story behind your success in this field? Sometimes, those things do not really matter. Everyone is faced with his tasks and before you can even blink your eyes, a lot has happened already. I remembered we were all taught that the best approach is to apply tactfulness, speed and accuracy in every situation. Do you have any platform for engaging others to be relevant? Yes I do. Just recently, I trained over 200 students of the Federal Poly Ede on this lucrative vocational of Textiles manufacturing. It is a personal agenda for me to help as many as possible persons within my capacity. I had the opportunity of training Prison Inmates at Ekiti state Prison yard, in 2010. I have also trained Corp Members, various group and individuals. For now, I constantly engage pupils in the primary school level and train and expose them on how to create Tie and Dye, and Batik fabrics. I also campaign against indecent dresses and promote moral behaviour that will make us a good ambassador for our family and a better role model for the next generation to come.
Yobe to host TReND Science Fest on Monday By Bamas Victoria @BamasVictoria The second edition of TReND Science Festival aimed at inspiring the future generation of scientists by showcasing science, its relevance to lives, environment and development, will hold next Monday in Damaturu, Yobe state. This edition which will have 25 schools participating would last till November 21, 2017 and will feature teachers’ workshop, quiz competition, and science student innovation contest. Other activities will include a panel discussion with top Nigerian scientists and medical practitioners, exhibition by scientists, and science career lecture. The lead organiser, a Neuroscientist, Dr Mahmoud Bukar Maina said the event has among its central objectives enhancing public understanding of science and also improving discussion between scientists and decision
makers. Maina told YOUTHVILLE in Abuja that there is a high level of cultural and religious misconception about science in Nigeria, especially in Northern Nigeria.” He explained that majority of Nigerians do not understand t h e importance of science to their lives and society, and this is because “Science funding is inadequate partly due to disconnect between local scientists and decisionmakers.”
He said: “In schools, many science teachers do not employ innovative teaching approaches and so, many students never develop a passion for science. Students also lack science mentors, contributing to poor understanding of career path.”
Never regret anything that made you smile. – Mark Twain
Corper opens entrepreneurial studio in Lagos From Nurudeen Oyewole and Waheed Issa, Lagos A corps member, Oluwafemi Ojo Daniel has set up an entrepreneurial studio for students of Agidingbi Grammar School, Lagos. At the commencement of the studio outfit, Daniel said the idea behind its construction was borne out of the need to encourage entrepreneurship among the youth especially when they are still in schools. Daniel, who studied MicroBiology at the University of Abuja, also expressed optimism that having the studio in a secondary school will help in reducing unemployment and heavy dependency on white collar jobs. “Entrepreneurship could actually be started in primary and secondary schools for better understanding. The studio comprises of fashion designing, photography and others, he said. Daniel said fashion designing is part of the skills to be learned in the studio for students to be fully equipped. “Entrepreneurship practices should be taught in schools in order to help create job opportunities and also to reduce the level of hooliganisms among Nigerian youth and to help them stand on their own after their education,” Daniel said.
AMCON donates to 3,000 IDP’s children in Biu By Haruna Gimba Yaya, Gombe @haroungimba The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), has distributed relief materials worth N100 million to 3,000 children of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State. The items donated include stationeries and uniforms for the children. It also donated 500 bags of rice, 500 bags of beans, 500 packs of seasoning, 500 bags of salt and 500 gallons of vegetable oil to the parents. The donation is part of on-going AMCON support for the IDP families in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, worst hit by insurgence activities. Addressing the IDPs at the Central Primary School in Biu, the AMCON delegation led by Alhaji Usman Abubakar, said the organization was in the state to assist the affected IDP children and families that were destabilised by insurgency in the northeast. He called on the beneficiary children and families to make judicious use of the items, saying the gesture by AMCON has demonstrated that the society has not abandoned the IDPs in their times of need. He also called on well-meaning individuals, corporate and government organisations to come to the aide of the affected children and families in the northeast.