Youth in Ekiti state have been admonished to back their educational certification up with vocational skills and entrepreneurship.
The state governor , Mr Biodun Oyebanji who gave the admonition said such will make young people to be self reliant and less dependent on others for their needs.
This came as the entire youths of the state unanimously throw their weights behind governor Oyebanji to continue as the helmsman of the state till 2030.
Governor Oyebanji spoke during the Senatorial Youth interface with him tagged: “Youth, Let’s Talk With BAO 3.0” held in each of the three senatorial districts headquarters of the state, Ido-Ekiti (North), Ikere Ekiti (South) and Ado-Ekiti (Central) on June 24, 25 and 26, 2025 respectively.
The governor who was represented by the state Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Adesola Gold Adedayo at the fora was designed to ensure inclusive governance where all the youth of the state will be given recognition, carry along and participate in all government activities.
Adedayo who expressed the governor’s pledge to always place the youth at the centre of his vision for a prosperous Ekiti said the program was approved to be taken each of the three senatorial districts to bring government closer to the people.
He said, “Governor Oyebanji has given the youth the opportunity to engage government to plan and contribute to their quota to the development of our state , because everything that the governor is doing, is for their good of our future .
“The program started in 2023. It is a platform, that allows the youth to speak, interact, engage with t their youth loving governor. It is also a platform for government to communicate its activities to the youth. This is another opportunity to tell him other things you want, and the things done for you so far”.
Speaking further on why the youths must add vocational skills to their education , the commissioner said, The federal or state government can’t give employment to everyone, it is not possible. Going by the data we have in our ministry, it says that 70 percent of the total population of the state are youth, so will the government be able to give all of them job?
“What is important is empowerment, which the government has been doing. Apart from giving employment, at present, plans are on to employ people in the state aviation sector, the process of the teaching and non- teaching staff recruitment is also on.
‘Aside, the government is creating enabling environment for everyone to get productively engaged. This is because, certification is not enough. We know that our peculiarity in Ekiti is to garner degrees, but the government is saying that, what is the essence of all the certifications if they don’t put food on our table, fetch us something and bring money for us? That is the reason why the government is prioritizing empowerment of the people in our state, for youths to be self reliant.
“Presently, wherever you are across the globe, if you are perfect at doing one thing , there is someone who need that service you are you can render or provide. It no longer about one study at the higher institution now, but what you can do through the application of the knowledge you acquire in what you studied in school.
“This is what we need to embrace, telling ourselves about the importance of skill acquisition to ensure that we gain its benefits as we have it in diverse ways in our society now, so that we will be useful to ourselves, our family, our community, our state and our country”.
The youths of all the three Senatorial district, premised their resolve to back and support governor Oyebanji for second term on his giant stride in all sectors of the state.
They said , ‘The Oyebanji-led government is positively impacting the lives of the people through the implementation of the six-pillar agenda which include Governance, Youth Development and Job Creation, Human Capital Development, Agriculture and Rural Development, Infrastructure and Industrialization and Arts, Culture and Tourism.
‘Employment provided for thousands of youths through recruitment into Civil Service, Teaching Service, Local Government Service, youth engagement through the Bring Back the Youths into Agriculture scheme in three clusters across the state to boost food security, empowerment of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through provision of soft loans through collaboration with Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, Small and Medium Entreprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and other agencies to boost the capacity of small business owners, market women and artisans. The Governor also empowers petty traders and youths with cash to boost their trade and procure tools and equipment through his “Ojuse BAO” initiative”.
The youths, however, called on the governor to still do more for them in the area of employment, empowerment, Agricultural initiative engagement and ensuring that all recruitment are made based on merit for every youth to have the opportunity getting one thing or the other to do.
At the Ekiti South district interface held in Ikere Ekiti, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Otunba Adeniyi Dolamu, Commissioner for Budget, Hon. Olufemi Ajayi, Commissioner for Capacity Development, Prof. Patrick Tedela, and SSA to the Governor on Rural Mobilisation, Oluremi Barbinton urged the youth to keep supporting governor Oyebanji and back him for reelection, saying they will continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy from the government.
In his response, the Commissioner for You the Development, Hon Adedayo said , “the reason why various groups, organisations and bodies across the state keep endorsing governor Biodun Oyebanji for second term, is an expression of appreciation of the wonderful things that the governor is doing our state”.
He told the youths who want the government youth in agriculture initiative to be extended to their council areas to talk their local government chairmen and traditional rulers to make available at least, ten hectares of arable land to the state government for the tke office of the program in their domain.
He said the Ministry is just about youth development, engagement and empowerment and its doors are opened to every youth of the state .
“If you need more information about more available opportunities being provided by the government, you can visit our social media handles or do well to visit the ministry for such, we are always willing and ready to engage you too”.
The highpoint of the event, in Ado-Ekiti, (Ekiti Central) was the testimony of one the youth, Michael Kolawole, who said he benefitted from facility and equipment from Bank of Industry facilitated by the state state government to set up a bakery which is doing well and getting good returns from it.
While appreciating the governor for creating an enabling environment for the youth to also contribute and participate in governance in the the state, promised the youth that all their demands, suggestions, challenges and goodwill messages will be collated and taken to the governor for action and they will get results to them in no distance time.