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… receives funny painting, pledges more youth-oriented initiative
It was an excitement galore on Tuesday when Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, surprised the world by receiving the man who drew his funny image.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also received the portrait, saying the young man and millions of other youths need to be encouraged.
A youth,Taiwo Osinowo, who later became popularly known as “Boda Taiye Oniyakuya” did a funny painting of the Governor and posted it on his Instagram page (@bodataiye_oniyakuya), which got a reaction from the Governor and other Nigerians. Osinowo was warned by many not to near the government House for drawing the governor in the way he did.
But surpirisingly, Sanwo-Olu gladly received the man, Boda Taiye Oniyakuya and the portrait at a youth symposium organised by the state government and held at the LTV Blue Roof Agidingbi, Ikeja.
The event tagged ‘LAGOS YOUTH SYMPOSIUM’ organised to engage over 1500 youth drawn from various Voluntary Organizations, Uniformed Organizations, Non-Governmental organizations, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter, Lagos State Youth Ambassadors, Lagos State Youth Parliamentarians, Student Unions from Higher institutions, CSOs and individual Youths across the State to network and learn new ways of contributing their quota to Rebuilding Lagos and achieving the Greater Lagos dream.
At the event, Sanwo-Olu invited the Taye Oniyakuya, saying: “I’m going to call him now and I assure you that nothing will happen to him. I’m really excited with the creativity and a lot people like him are blessed with creative skills.”
Speaking at the event, Sanwo-Olu recalled that bout this time last year, Lagos State and indeed the whole country witnessed a mass protests against police brutality tagged #EndSars. The movement saw a majority of Nigeria Youths who make up 35.6% of the population participating in one of the largest movements since the country’s democratic transition in 1993.
He added that the protest culminated into wanton destruction of Government facilities and individual properties across the Nation after the riot on October 20th forever known as the Black Tuesday.
“Despite the massive destruction of properties as a result of the protests and economic downturn occasioned by the COVD 19 pandemics, Lagos was able to cope with the challenges. We embarked on rebuilding the City of Lagos gradually, not only the physical structures but the citizen’s hope was also rekindled with various palliatives measures.
Of utmost importance to us as a government are the youth population of the State who formed the bulk of the population and its working force. We had embarked on the implementation of series of Youth engagement and empowerment activities and programmes through its various MDAs notably of which are Ministries of Wealth Creation & Employment; Arts, Tourism & Culture; Science & Technology; Agriculture; Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives and other agencies.
Some of these programmes which were initiated as part of our efforts to address issues bothering on youth development and empowerment the remodelling, development and equipping of 4 Youth Centres across the State namely – Abesan, Lafiaji, Ikorodu and Omituntun Youth Centres. We are also working on the renovation of Ikeja; Popo Oba, Epe; Isheri; Badagry; Sam Shonibare and Obele Oniwala Youth Centres. These facilities offer both recreational and sporting engagement as well as opportunities for skill acquisition / vocational trainings for youths.
We have in partnership with USAID created two Youth Hubs at Lafiaji and Araromi Gbagada Youth Centers. These hubs offer leadership, livelihood and life skills to Out school youth aged between 15 – 24 years. With this partnership, we hope to reach 25,000 young people during its 5-year tenure with soft skills, leadership competence, social capital and resources using an approach that enables them reach their full potentials in a safe and youth friendly environment.”
According to him, the state is also inaugurating the 5th Assembly of the Lagos Youth Parliament, a pseudo parliamentarian platform modeled after the House of Assembly structure designed to inculcate in the members’ legislative processes and procedures and build their capacities to advocate for their rights and needs in a constructive manner.
All of these are in addition to what the Lagos state Employment Trust Fund is doing to support young with great entrepreneurship skills and ideas to establish and nurture their businesses on the path of sustainable growth and profitability; the agripreneurship programme which create opportunities for young people in the agriculture value chain as well as the Graduate Internship Placement project which we are currently implementing through the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment. I will also mention in the area of ICT, the Lagos Codes and Software training programme in which a number of young people within and outside of school to build critical skills in demand in the work place as well as the 22 start-ups headed by young people in the areas of agric-tech, ed-tech etc all funded by the Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council.
He added: “All of this initiatives policies and programmes are geared towards promoting the youth inclusion in the social economy development of the state and also building the capacity of young people to contribute significantly to the rebuilding of our state.
“In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm our commitment that as a Government will not rest on our oars in engaging and empowering the teeming population of youths in the Centre of Excellence. We will continue to create enabling environment and policies that will ensure the Youths have a safe space to thrive and reach their full potentials.
Meanwhile, speaking on the threat messages he had received from Nigerians over Governor Sanwo-Olu’s funny picture he drew, Osinowo, (Broda Taiye), said he got a lot of funny messages warning him not to go and meet the Governor, but he is happy that the Governor he met is a good and a humble man, He thanked the Governor for the opportunity, prayed for Mr Governor, Lagos State and Nigeria in general. Mr Governor said this is a way to encourage creativity among Young people.
