CAMPUS REVIEW: Minister Urges Nigerian Youths To Shun Nepotism, Ethnic Bigotry At LAUTECH Alumni Lecture

By Sodiq Yusuf

THE Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare has urged Nigerian youths to shun, and as well provide workable solutions to issues of nepotism and ethnic bigotry, saying that it will help to fast track development of the nation.

According to Dare, President Muhammadu Buhari’s mandate to him is to ensure that the Youths seek bankable investments in education, technology, agriculture and developmental infrastructure in a bid to make them offer meaningful contributions to the Nigeria project.

Speaking on the topic “Constructive Youth Participation In the Nigeria Project: A Sustainable Model,” at the 13th Annual Lecture of LAUTECH ALUMNI in Ogbomoso, the Minister said that the President has mandated his ministry to keep Nigerian Youths busy.

He said the revised the National Youth Policy (2019-2023) with 11 key thematic areas of sports, Education, science and technology, agriculture, environment, drug abuse, Health would draw up investments to create opportunities for the future generation to thrive and midwife the economic prosperity of the nation.

“Ownership of the Nigerian Project is the young people by promoting and nuturing Youth-led social business.

“We must De-emphasize the things that divide us (religion, ethnicity, place of origin, etc) on official documents and transactions: majority of our youth are millennia. They live most of their lives on the internet, which has broken down boundaries and miniaturized the world into one huge space.

“Institute a reward system that Honours and promotes Nigerian value that speak to the Nigerian Project: we must keep the young people inspired and focused towards the Nigerian Project. Our strategy is simple: – each person should be contributing from their little space: government, private sector, civil society and development partners.

“The next level belongs to the Nigerian Youth. Mr President’s has a new DEEL (D. for digital literacy, E for entrepreneurship, E for employability, L for leadership) for the youth; to train and equip Nigerian youth with the skills they need to compete for national development.”

The Minister at the programme donated laptops worth N6m to the ICT department of the university, just as he promised to upgrade the school’s sports center to Olympic standard as well as facilitate other numerous projects that would aid the smooth running of the ivory tower.

In his remarks, the National President of LAUTECH ALUMNI, Hon Solomon Onilede applauded the Minister for working hard and championing the course of the Nigerian youths.

Onilede noted that the sterling contributions of the association to practically invest in the alma-mater, especially in attracting a N25m state of the art e-library from the Maigida Foundation to be commissioned soon, scholarship scheme and the facilitation of numerous beneficial projects to the citadel of learning.