2022 YALI Ogun Summit: Experts Charge Youths To Be More Value-Driven
Posted by Ahmed Iyanda | 2 years ago | 1,473 times
Experts from different sectors have urged youths across the country to leverage on the immense opportunities available within the technology space and that they should be more value-driven, as a way to becoming change makers in the society.
The experts spoke at the maiden Ogun YALI Summit which took place recently at the American window, Youth Development Centre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library boulevard, Abeokuta. The event had in attendance students of tertiary institutions, government officials including new and existing social entrepreneurs within the state.
The President of the organization, Ifeoluwa Adesanya, said YALI is a United States signature effort to invest in young African leaders to give back to their community.
He said the event was to discuss and co-create solutions to the most challenging issues of our society including the support, skills, knowledge and networks needed to build resilience to navigate the current disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Speaking on "Information, Technology and Job Creation Opportunity for social enterprise and nonprofit," Victor Adeleye, the Chief Executive Officer of Grazac Academy, urged the youths to equip and add values to themselves with required skills, maintaining that the world is evolving with technology, which he argued one cannot successfully discharge without self-development.
“As youths, you must have interest in learning about technology. You have to develop yourself.”
He disclosed that the best an organization needs now is a “Problem Solver” who according to him must be versatile and can be what he called “Game Changer”. This he also maintained, requires some relevant skills such as technological skills, versatility, ability to solve problems, self-development, among others, calling on the youths to make adequate use of such great opportunities.
Dissecting the theme of the event: “Social Entrepreneurship; Landmark for Positive Change," Adeleye described the positive change as a technological movement of transformation, adding that the first step to becoming a technocrat is having a vision and bringing them into reality.
Also at the event, Adewale Badejoko, Founder/CEO Frootify , urged youths to develop their emotional intelligence and create proper financial plans that would align with their vision, adding that people no longer invest in ideas but prefer to invest in people.
“Be on top of your business and not inside it after a while, that way you have a helicopter view,” he added.
Ishola Adebayo, Certified Trainer on Google Digital skills charged the participants to embrace entrepreneurship as the best option in the diversification of the economy.
Responding, Adebayo said: “It is a fact that various economic indices like rate of inflation, unemployment rate are pointing negative, but we cannot fold our arms.
“Yet, it is unrealistic to expect the government to provide jobs for every single youth in the country, thus, youths should prioritise and learn skills that can take them out of poverty.
On his part, Oladapo Omitogun, the Summit Chairperson said the objectives of the Summit was to engage new and intending social entrepreneurs, donors and policymakers in constructive dialogue around social entrepreneurship, to localize solutions and stories to pressing problems as part of wider ongoing efforts being implemented by other support organisations.
He added that the Summit was aimed at Supporting social enterprises with the skills, knowledge and networks needed to build resilience in the current disruption brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other invited speakers at the event include Jeniffer Foltz, Deputy Public Affairs officer at the US Consulate General Lagos; Olufunmi Ehuwa, Founder Tasty Corridors.
